Tulane Mock Trial has had an extraordinary year, and it has been such a pleasure to watch this group continue to grow. Over the course of the 2025 to 2026 season, our students traveled across the South, competed against very strong programs, earned individual honors, and represented Tulane and the School of Liberal Arts with confidence, discipline, and real professionalism.
What stands out most to me is not simply the awards or the tournament results, though those are certainly impressive. It is the level of commitment, preparation, and teamwork that these students have brought to every stage of the season. Mock trial demands critical thinking, persuasive speaking, adaptability, and trust in one another, and this year Tulane’s students rose to that challenge again and again.
The season began in October with invitationals at the University of Georgia, Emory, and Ole Miss, where Tulane’s teams quickly showed that they were ready to compete at a high level. That momentum only grew stronger in November, with impressive performances at Tobacco Road, Vanderbilt, Texas Showdown, and Georgia State’s Downtown Derby. One of the biggest highlights of the fall came when Tulane’s B team captured first place at Downtown Derby, a major accomplishment that reflected both individual talent and the depth of the program as a whole. Throughout the season, students earned outstanding attorney and outstanding witness awards at multiple tournaments, which speaks to how much talent and dedication this organization has developed across its teams.
That success carried into January, when Tulane returned from winter break with the same focus and energy that defined the fall semester. At the Crimson Classic in Alabama and Dillard’s Big Easy Invitational here in New Orleans, Tulane students once again delivered strong performances and brought home more individual honors. Taken together, this has been more than just a successful season. It has been a season that reflects the steady rise of a program that is becoming stronger, deeper, and more confident with each passing year. As a professor, that is especially rewarding to see, because it reflects the kind of growth that comes only from hard work, consistency, and students who genuinely care about what they are building together.
One of the students, Yilan Tang, captured that growth beautifully: “Over the past four years, I’ve had the privilege of watching Tulane Mock Trial grow into a truly competitive program. This year, our dedicated students and volunteer coaches helped us send four teams to regionals and advance two to the Opening Round Championship Series. As a graduating senior, I’m proud to have been part of that growth and am excited to watch the program continue to reach new heights from afar.”
I think that reflection says a great deal about what makes this program so special. Yes, the competitive success matters, but so does the sense of shared investment that students bring to it. This is clearly a group that has been building something meaningful over time, and this year that work has paid off in a visible way.
What makes Tulane Mock Trial so impressive to me is that it represents the very best of what a liberal arts education can do. These students are learning how to analyze difficult fact patterns, build arguments, speak with clarity and confidence, and perform under pressure. They are also learning how to collaborate, respond quickly, and support one another in demanding environments. Those are skills that matter far beyond competition. They matter in law, in public service, in advocacy, and in leadership. This year’s success says a great deal not only about the strength of the team, but also about the seriousness, ambition, and talent of the students who make it possible.
And the most exciting part is that the story is not over yet. As Ethan Lenkin said, “It’s been an incredible year with Mock Trial. For the first time in program history, two of our teams advanced past Regionals. Now we’re preparing to compete at the Opening Round Championship Series in Memphis from March 20 to 22, with the goal of becoming the first Tulane teams to qualify for Nationals.”
This is a remarkable milestone for this program, and one that these students have absolutely earned. All of us at Tulane should be proud of what they have accomplished already, and should cheer them on as they take this next historic step. Roll Wave!