In our seventeen years of competition, we have competed at the National Championship Tournament seven times. Our program consists of three teams total, each group successful in their invitational season. As the hosts of the 2020 National Championship, we are gearing up for a successful season and a return to the Championship Tournament!
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2018-2019
The final records were: 25-19-4 (495), 12-28 (494), and 10-13-1 (496). In an uncharacteristic off year for the program, all three teams struggled to finish in the top ten at tournaments, with the best finish coming at Regionals by 495 (4th Place). 494 also took home Loyola's first Spirit of AMTA award since 2015, winning the Mary-Lynn Neuhaus Civility Award at the Loras Invitational after assisting injured passengers in a roll-over accident on the way to the tournament. 2017-2018
The final records were: 29-18-1 (495), 35-19-2 (494), and 16-24 (496). While the program took home two championship trophies - an 8-0 result at the Kansas City Regional by 495 and a 6-1-1 result at Ohio State by 494 - the season again ended with close finishes at ORCS. 495, the only team competing at ORCS, finished 4-4. 2016-2017
The program finished with records of 33-20-3 (495), 28-25-3 (494), and 20-17-3 (496). It was the first time in Loyola history that 496 finished with a winning record. 494 took home the program's only championship of the year, a 6-0-2 victory at the Lewis Fantastic Flyer tournament - the third year in a row Loyola won the Flyer. 2015-2016
The program finished out the year winning the University of Minnesota Invitational, the Michigan State Tournament of Roses, and Lewis' Fantastic Flyer invitational. The result at MSU was the first tournament ever won by 496. After a tough field at the St. Paul ORC, both 494 and 495 missed the National Championship, 494 again missing by just one ballot. 2014-2015
For the first time since 2007, Loyola Mock Trial Teams 494 and 495 missed the National Championship Tournament two years in a row. This time is came by one ballot each. The program did end the year with one championship (an 8-0 finish at the Lewis Fantastic Flyer Invitational) and one Spirit of AMTA Award (at the Anoka Opening Round Championship). Throughout the year all three squads earned 15 Top Ten finishes and 5 Top Five finishes. Final records were: 44-24-4 (495), 38-23-3 (494), and 23-29-4 (496). |
Program RecordsBest Overall Season Record: 55-15-2
495 - 2010/2011 Most Tournament Wins in a Season: 2 495 - 2017/2018 (NIU & OSU Invitationals) 495 - 2015/2016 (U of MN & Lewis Invitationals) 495 - 2007/2008 (Lewis Invitational & Joliet Regional) 495 - 2009/2010 (USF & Loras "A" Invitationals) 494 - 2009/2010 (Lewis & Loras "B" Invitationals) 495 - 2011/2012 (ONU & Loras Invitationals) Most Top 5 Finishes in a Season: 7 495 - 2010/2011 Most Top 10 Finishes in a Season: 9 495 - 2010/2011 495 - 2011/2012 Best Ever Tournament Result: 8-0 2008 Joliet Regional Tournament (495-1st place) 2010 Fantastic Flyers Invitational (495-1st place) 2010 Loras "B" Invitational (494-1st place) 2012 Loras Invitational (495 - 1st place) 2012 Ohio Northern Invitational (495 - 1st place) 2013 Topeka Regional (495-1st Place) 2014 Fantastic Flyers Invitational (494-1st place) 2018 Kansas City Regional (495-1st Place) Best National Championship Tournament Result: 5-3 2011 National Championship (495) 6th Place in division, 11th overall Most Total Program Wins (Season): 133 2011-2012 Most Program Individual Awards (Season): 2011-2012 (40) |
2013-2014
A season with much promise, the year ended in disappointment as Loyola's four-year streak of competing at the National Championship was broken. With a larger than normal returning senior class, the program fielded two strong teams that earned many accolades during the invitational season. 495 started the year with two straight 4th Place finishes at Ohio State and Wheaton. After a rough weekend in October that saw the three teams win a total of 8 ballots, the program went on a nice run of success: 494 (3rd) and 495 (8th) placed at Illinois State, and all three teams placed at Lewis (494: 5th, 496: 7th), with 495 taking home the championship. Not to be outdone, 494 won the Michigan State championship the following week. The fall semester closed with the Illini tournament and two more Top-Ten placings (494: 2nd, 495: 8th).
In the spring, the success continued, with 495 (3rd) and 494 (4th) keeping the momentum from the fall going at Northwestern. 496 continued their struggles, however, with a 2-6 finish at Ohio Northern. 495 traveled to Georgetown and brought home the Spirit of AMTA trophy while compiling a respectable 4-3-1 record. The invitational season concluded with Loras, and again all three teams saw good results: 494 placed 3rd, 495 placed 5th, and 496 went 4-4.
With the invitational season over, Loyola looked forward to regionals. While 494 breezed through Topeka with a 7-1 record and an Opening Round Championship bid, 495 stumbled. They finished 5-3, good enough for 8th place but no automatic bid to the ORCS. The team did earn an Open Bid, however, and joined 494 at the Hamilton, Ohio, ORCS. Unfortunately, both missed out on trips to the National Championship. 495 came the closest, going 4-4 with a whopping 21.5 strength of schedule. 494 finished 3-5.
In the end, 495 and 494 finished the year with near identical Won/Lost records. 495 went 53-23-4 and won 1 invitational championship to go along with 4 other Top-Five finishes and 3 Top-Ten finishes. 494 went 54-24-2 with 1 championship, 5 Top-Five finishes and 1 other Top-Ten finish. 496 went 19-29 with one Top-Five placing.
A season with much promise, the year ended in disappointment as Loyola's four-year streak of competing at the National Championship was broken. With a larger than normal returning senior class, the program fielded two strong teams that earned many accolades during the invitational season. 495 started the year with two straight 4th Place finishes at Ohio State and Wheaton. After a rough weekend in October that saw the three teams win a total of 8 ballots, the program went on a nice run of success: 494 (3rd) and 495 (8th) placed at Illinois State, and all three teams placed at Lewis (494: 5th, 496: 7th), with 495 taking home the championship. Not to be outdone, 494 won the Michigan State championship the following week. The fall semester closed with the Illini tournament and two more Top-Ten placings (494: 2nd, 495: 8th).
In the spring, the success continued, with 495 (3rd) and 494 (4th) keeping the momentum from the fall going at Northwestern. 496 continued their struggles, however, with a 2-6 finish at Ohio Northern. 495 traveled to Georgetown and brought home the Spirit of AMTA trophy while compiling a respectable 4-3-1 record. The invitational season concluded with Loras, and again all three teams saw good results: 494 placed 3rd, 495 placed 5th, and 496 went 4-4.
With the invitational season over, Loyola looked forward to regionals. While 494 breezed through Topeka with a 7-1 record and an Opening Round Championship bid, 495 stumbled. They finished 5-3, good enough for 8th place but no automatic bid to the ORCS. The team did earn an Open Bid, however, and joined 494 at the Hamilton, Ohio, ORCS. Unfortunately, both missed out on trips to the National Championship. 495 came the closest, going 4-4 with a whopping 21.5 strength of schedule. 494 finished 3-5.
In the end, 495 and 494 finished the year with near identical Won/Lost records. 495 went 53-23-4 and won 1 invitational championship to go along with 4 other Top-Five finishes and 3 Top-Ten finishes. 494 went 54-24-2 with 1 championship, 5 Top-Five finishes and 1 other Top-Ten finish. 496 went 19-29 with one Top-Five placing.
2012-2013
The result was familiar for Loyola Mock Trial, with the season ending at the National Championship tournament for the fourth straight year (and seventh out of twelve seasons). With ten returners with National Championship experience - more than ever before at Loyola - the fall semester started smoothly with nine Top Ten places in the first twelve tournament appearances. This included the highest placing ever for a Loyola C Team (4th place at Elgin), and the first Top Ten showing at GAMTI in Washington, D.C. The road to get to back to D.C. for the championship, however, was a little more rocky than expected. In the last tournament of the fall, 495 traveled to Durham to the Tobacco Road Invitational hosted by the defending national champion Duke Blue Devils. Facing tough competition, the A Team struggled and went 2-6, causing some heartburn among the Chicago crowd. The season didn't get much better following the break. The Northwestern tournament resulted in similar disappointment for the program, and the Loras College National Invitational Tournament was cancelled due to weather after the first two rounds. By the time regionals came around, no one in the program had competed in one month. It was no worry for 495, as senior Chimene Granados led the team to an 8-0 Regional Championship in Topeka. 494 went 6-2 in South Bend to earn a second bid to the Opening Round Championship. Not to be outdone, 496 turned in the best C Team regional result in Loyola history, going 4-2-2 for 8th place. In past years an 8th place would have been enough for a trophy, but this year 496 was one place short and earned an Honorable Mention.
In St. Louis, 495 made up for the previous year's stumble and went 7-1, good enough for 3rd place. 494, unfortunately, went 3-5 and would not be making a return trip to the championship. In Washington, D.C., 495 was unable to continue its success in the first ever championship to feature three ballots per round. They started with a 1-2 record against Furman and a 2-1 result versus Harvard, but they were swept 0-3 against Berkeley and Washington to finish the weekend 3-9.
Senior Sara Villecco became the third Rambler to compete at three straight national championships. Seniors Julia Philips-Roth and Kelsey McManus and Sophomore Lauren Murray each competed at their second championship.
In St. Louis, 495 made up for the previous year's stumble and went 7-1, good enough for 3rd place. 494, unfortunately, went 3-5 and would not be making a return trip to the championship. In Washington, D.C., 495 was unable to continue its success in the first ever championship to feature three ballots per round. They started with a 1-2 record against Furman and a 2-1 result versus Harvard, but they were swept 0-3 against Berkeley and Washington to finish the weekend 3-9.
Senior Sara Villecco became the third Rambler to compete at three straight national championships. Seniors Julia Philips-Roth and Kelsey McManus and Sophomore Lauren Murray each competed at their second championship.
2011-2012
Continuing its run of success, Loyola Mock Trial earned two bids to the National Championship Tournament for the very first time. Led by senior attorney Alyssa Pronley and senior expert witness David Weber, 495 was near untouchable during the invitational season. They finished in the Top Ten five times out of six tournaments during the fall, but really turned up the heat in the spring. 495 went 8-0 in back-to-back tournaments (Ohio Northern and Loras) - the first such feat in Loyola's history - before going 7-1 at the Topeka Regional. After a hard-fought Opening Round Championship series in which they went 5-3 and earned the last bid to the National Championship, 495 hit a string of bad luck in Minneapolis. The team split each of its rounds at the National Championship, against Eastern Kentucky, Hamilton, Virginia, and Princeton. For Pronley and Weber it capped off amazing careers which included All-American awards and three straight National Championship appearances. They are the only two Loyola mockers to compete at three straight championships. Senior Oliver Judd and junior Sara Villecco each competed in their second straight championship.
494 also earned a birth to the National Championship, despite not earning an Opening Round Championship bid outright. The season started well, with three Top Ten finishes out six tournaments in the fall, including winning the Illinois State Invitational. The team dropped in the spring, failing to finish at 500 in Ohio before a mediocre showing at Loras and a 10th place finish at the Notre Dame Regional. Their 5-3 record was good enough for an open bid, however, and the team took advantage by going 5-3 in St. Louis to book a championship ticket. Despite the team's 2-6 record in Minneapolis (losing two ballots each to Northwestern and USC before splitting against San Diego and Rochester), the team represented Loyola well.
494 also earned a birth to the National Championship, despite not earning an Opening Round Championship bid outright. The season started well, with three Top Ten finishes out six tournaments in the fall, including winning the Illinois State Invitational. The team dropped in the spring, failing to finish at 500 in Ohio before a mediocre showing at Loras and a 10th place finish at the Notre Dame Regional. Their 5-3 record was good enough for an open bid, however, and the team took advantage by going 5-3 in St. Louis to book a championship ticket. Despite the team's 2-6 record in Minneapolis (losing two ballots each to Northwestern and USC before splitting against San Diego and Rochester), the team represented Loyola well.
2010-2011
For the first time in Loyola Mock Trial history, the program competed at the National Championship two years in a row. 495 capped a stellar invitational season with the best National Championship finish in program history - 6th place in the division and 11th overall. Led by graduating seniors Devon Holstad and Chrissy Murphy, 495 went 5-3, coming one point short in the final round of placing 2nd in the division. During the season 495 went undefeated while winning the Lewis Fantastic Flyer tournament, tallying 7 overall Top-Five finishes and 9 Top-Tens. 495 did not finish outside the Top-Ten all season. 494 had a strong season as well, finishing with 7 Top-Tens and 3 Top-Fives. 496 placed in the Top-Ten twice, including one Top-Five. Many records were broken during the season, including the best overall season record (495: 55-15-2), most Top-Five and Top-Ten finishes in a season (495), largest season point differential (+578, 495), largest tournament point differential (+159, 495 at Loras), most program wins in a season, and most program individual awards in a season. Junior Alyssa Pronley also became the first Loyola female and the first Loyola non-senior to win an All-American Award at the National Championship tournament. With all but three members of the program set to return, the future of the program looks just as bright as the past.
2009-2010
With a strong core of returning members combined with a quality freshman class, this year's edition of Loyola Mock Trial made a return trip to the National Championship. It was 495 leading the way, finishing with championship trophies from Loras and St. Francis en route to a 3rd place regionals finish, 5th place ORCS finish, and 17th place National Championship finish. 495 earned five Top 5 finishes and seven Top 10s. Matt McDonald earned the distinction of All-American, the third Loyola mocker to do so. 494 earned five Top 5s and six Top 10s, along with tournament championships at Lewis and the Loras B team invitational. They finished 2nd at regionals before falling short at ORCS and missing out on the National Championship. 496 had the best year ever for a Loyola C team, earning two Top 5 finishes and three Top 10s. Loyola will look to hold their spot among the nation's elite next year, although there will be 11 graduating seniors to replace.
2008-2009
With the loss of more than 75% of the previous year's team due to graduation, this season was supposed to be a rebuilding year. The young Loyola Mock Trial team didn't get the message. The season included invitational tournaments at Eastern Kentucky University and the prestigious Great American Mock Trial Invitational in Washington, D.C., where a combined veteran team finished 6-6 and 12th out of 24 teams. The program continued the Joliet Regional dominance, with 495 and 494 finishing 4th and 7th, respectively. At the Opening Round Championship Tournament (the new name for the Silver National Tournament), both teams finished 5-3, coming within just one ballot of the National Championship Tournament. Although the end result was a bitter defeat, the season as a whole was greatly successful, with ten Top 10 finishes, three Top 5s, and 18 individual awards. The team will graduate only 2 team members, so the following season will hopefully be one of redemption.
2007-2008
Led by strong senior talent combined with skillful new mockers, Loyola Mock Trial saw the most successful season in team history. With many team "firsts," both 495 and 494 were impressive in continuing Loyola's growing reputation as a Midwestern powerhouse. 495 won the program's first Invitational title, going 7-0-1 at the Lewis University Fantastic Flyers Tournament, the first Regional title and undefeated tournament with an 8-0 finish at the Joliet Regional, and the highest National Championship finish with a 5-3 record in the Lundgren-Risk Division in Minneapolis. Joe Carlasare (attorney) and Mike Kilgarrif (witness) became the program's first ever All-Americans. Team 494 finished 3rd at the Joliet Regional with a 6-2 record, but did not advance out of the Waukegan Silver National Tournament. In total, Loyola Mock Trial recorded nine Top 10 finishes, five Top 5 finishes, two Tournament Championships, and 23 individual awards.
2006-2007
Following another mediocre invitational season, Loyola Mock Trial reinforced their claim to the Joliet Regional by placing 5th and 6th, sending both teams to the Silver National Tournament in Waukegan, IL. Unfortunately, neither team was able to record more than 4 wins, dashing all hopes of a consecutive trip to the National Championship. However, the respectable post-season finish set the stage for the following year.
2005-2006
Loyola built upon the foundation of veteran experience and began the string of Loyola Mock Trial success that has continued to present day. After an average invitational season, Loyola Team 495 finished 6-2 at the Joliet Regional, including a 4-2 record against three teams from the University of Chicago. The record was good enough for second place and an automatic berth in the National Championship tournament in Des Moines, IA. Team 496 finished 5-3 and qualified for the Silver National Tournament in St. Paul, MN. While neither team placed in either of the tournaments, the season was an unqualified success.
2004-2005
With a much larger team, Loyola began the season fielding three teams, up from last years two. The team started the season at Loyola's Water Tower Campus and competed at Lewis University, St. Francis University, and Northwestern University, and Loras College. Despite a range of talent and experience, the team fell short of making a repeat trip to the national tournament.
2003-2004
In the fall, Loyola begins its second year as a mock trial team. It competes in invitational tournaments at Lewis University and Eastern Illinois University. Loyola begins the second half of the season by competing at Northwestern University's invitational tournament at the Lake County Courthouse in Waukeegan, IL. Loyola competes for the second time at the Lewis College Regional Tournament at the Will County Courthouse in Joliet, IL. Loyola places fifth overall and qualifies for the Silver National Tournament in Richmond, KY at the University of Eastern Kentucky. Loyola competes at the National Tournament it Richmond and places fourth in the Miller Division.
2002-2003
Loyola Mock Trial is formed by Loyola Undergrad Sarah Wake and Coach Mike Walsh. Loyola competes in its first tournament: The Lewis College Regional Tournament.