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The Miami University James Lewis Family Mock Trial Program finished in third place in the 2008 Mock Trial National Championship Tournament hosted by Hamlin University at the county government center in Minneapolis April 4-6. It's Miami's highest finish since its second place finish in 2003 and its national championship in 2001.
The team had won its tenth consecutive regional championship with an undefeated record at competition in Cincinnati and was unbeaten through the first three rounds at the national championship, taking two ballots from each of its three opponents: Georgetown University and the universities of Chicago and Texas at Austin.
Going into the final round on Sunday, only Miami and George Washington University were undefeated in the 64-team field. In the end, University of Maryland took first place and George Washington second.
Tom Jeffcott, sophomore finance major from North Canton, was named an All-American attorney. Katie Tilenni, senior finance major from Willoughby, earned an All-American witness designation. Only 20 attorneys and 20 witnesses earn the designation of "All-American" from a final field of nearly 400 attorneys and 400 witnesses.
Tilenni is on Miami's second national team that finished with a 4-4 record.
Members of Miami's third place national-finish team are:
Tom Jeffcott, sophomore finance major from North Canton
Alex Bluebond, junior economics major from Akron
Jason Hunt, senior political science major from Pittsburgh, Pa.
Angie Daling, senior international studies major, economics minor from Mentor
Drew Dorner, senior speech communication major from Wapakoneta
Alan Cook, senior finance and business economics major from Sidney
Kevin Harrison, junior political science/management major from Mason
Jeremy Grondin, junior math major from Hilliard
Dan Herron, professor of finance and coach, director and founder of the mock trial program at Miami in 1994, was honored by the American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) at the national tournament by being inducted into the AMTA Coaching Hall of Fame.
Herron coached Miami squads to one national championship in 2001, 13 regional championships in 14 years and 10 top-15 finishes nationally. Over 350 colleges and universities field more than 500 teams that compete in intercollegiate mock trial.
In addition to Herron, the James Lewis Family Miami Mock Trial Program is coached by business legal studies professors Wayne Staton and Dan Haughey, assisted by graduate assistant Lawrence Hilton and undergraduate assistant Rick Ohl.
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