Home Official News Releases Drake Mock Trial Teams Dominate at Creighton

Drake Mock Trial Teams Dominate at Creighton

CONTACT: Lisa Lacher, (515) 271-3119, “mailto:lisa.lacher@drake.edu”


Drake University’s mock trial teams stormed the Creighton Bluejay Invitational held Dec. 1-2, placing first, third and fourth in a field of 28 teams.


The first-place team members are Chris Bettis, a senior from Overland Park, Kan.; Samatha Fisher, a first-year student from Nashua, Iowa; Sarah Kucker, a junior from Eagen, Minn.; Nicole Rogers, a junior from Tucker, Ga.; Jasmina Sarajlija, a sophomore from Urbandale; Danielle Wagner, a first-year student from Webster City, Iowa; and Katharine Willey, a first-year student from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Elizabeth Vaubel, a senior from Okoboji, Iowa, serves as coach of all three Drake teams.


“We’ve had a lot of fun with our case this year, and we hope to continue building our teams for a great showing at the regional tournament in February. Our goal is to send two teams to the national tournament in Florida,” Vaubel said.


The third-place team members are Lindsey Andersen, a junior from Apple Valley, Minn.; Justin Carrothers, a senior from Des Moines; John Lande, a junior from Huxley, Iowa; Vaubel; James Wallace, a junior from Des Moines; and Marina Yakhnis, a sophomore from Overland Park, Kan.


The fourth-place team members are Tyler Buller, a first-year student from Urbandale; Ellen Cooper, a senior from Dubuque, Iowa; Jeremy DeFoe, a senior from Des Moines; Beth Delvaux, a senior from Des Moines; Van Everett, a first-year student from West Des Moines; Mike Nelson, a junior from Gowrie, Iowa; and Amanda Wilwert, a junior from Mason City, Iowa.


Lande was recognized with an outstanding witness award, and Kucker and Carrothers received outstanding attorney awards.


Richard M. Calkins pioneered the undergraduate mock trial program in 1985 while he was dean of Drake Law School. He is the current president of the American Mock Trial Association.