Dear RUMTA Family,
Victorious would be putting it lightly, as we look back at the end of the 2024-25 RUMTA season. Over the past few months, Rutgers Mock Trial had two teams compete at Washington D.C ORCs, returned to the National competition after nine years, and collected some hardware along the way. Let’s recap what has been an incredible end to the RUMTA season.
A and B-Team dominate D.C.
Pushing the momentum from regionals, A and B-team drove down to the capitol to compete at ORCs. Ending the season in D.C, we are incredibly proud of our B-team, who earned seven individual awards and two top four finishes throughout this year. Rutgers Mock Trial is grateful for the leadership of captain Frances Michaels and can’t wait to see what these folks do next. The A-team took the field by storm, finishing second with a record of 6-2 and making the return to Nationals. The winning wouldn’t stop there, as Jonathan Shanahan would add a 20 rank attorney award to the pile.
A-team captures Cleveland
For the final tournament of the year, A-team was ready to clock the competition. Despite “analysts” predicting Rutgers would place 45th in the tournament, A-team proved their season was far from a Cinderella story. RUMTA placed 6th in the Mather Division with a phenomenal 10-6 record. Be on the lookout, as it is safe to say RUMTA has unfinished business coming next year. We had two members win All-American awards, Maulikaa Manikantan as a witness and Jonathan Shanahan as the second-highest ranked attorney in the nation. With that being said, we must thank A-team captain Alice Ko for her leadership throughout the whole year, and are excited for what is in store for this group next season.
Trial by Combat and the Gauntlet
Although the RUMTA season is over, some of our members will continue to represent the Scarlet Knights over the summer. Jonathan Shanahan was selected as one of sixteen attorneys to compete in the Trial By Combat competition. Jon will be accompanied by freshman Michael Volpert and coach Rachel Holt in Philadelphia this June. It is safe to say the folks in Philly don’t know what’s coming. Our own Maulikaa Manikantan was selected as an alternate for the Gauntlet competition of the top witnesses in the nation. With her dedication and commitment, we cannot wait to see Maulikaa take on Los Angeles.
In Closing
As we reflect on our past season there are a few special individuals we must thank. To coaches, Craig Arronow, Rachel Holt, and Alyssa DiSturco, we thank you for all your hardwork and commitment to our team, Rutgers Mock Trial cannot express its gratitude enough. With all RUMTA has accomplished thanks to our coaches, the national title is inevitable.
To our graduated seniors, Victoria Wei and Jonathan Shanahan, we wish you the best of luck in all your future endeavors and appreciate all the effort you’ve put in these past few years. Our program will miss you immensely.
We must also thank all of you for your support of our program. RUMTA is what it is today thanks to all of our generous alumni.