Moot Court 2023-2024 Season
The longest season in the history of the American Moot Court Association (AMCA) is complete. The AMCA has adopted a new framework that involves competing in a regional, earning a bid to one of four 32 team preliminary rounds of the national tournament (PRONT) from which 32 teams advanced to the final round of the national tournament (FRONT). The year started with 477 teams. 6 from CSULB. For sake of comparison, there are over 360/350 Division I NCAA men’s and woman’s basketball teams respectively. 128 teams qualified for the PRONT. 6 were from CSULB. This is the first time in CSULB history that all of our teams qualified for nationals. There were 32 teams that qualified for the FRONT. 3 from CSULB: Morgan Barragan and Ivonne Sotelo; Jocelyn Colpitts and Emma Nelson; and Jordan Gebrian and Farnoz Norouzi. Barragan and Sotelo finished fourth in the nation in oral advocacy – that’s in the top 0.83% of the nation. In the Fall season, Barragan and Sotelo qualified for the semis or finals in all five of their competitions – only one other CSULB team has done the same. A program of 6 teams produced one of the best four teams in the nation. There were much larger programs and yet at the end, there we stood -- defying the mathematical odds. This speaks volumes to our students and coaches. Everyone got on the same end of the same rope and pulled in the same direction at the same time. CSULB’s national sweet 16 streak is at 14 seasons. A new generation will have to take it to 15.
PRONTs: CSULB sent six teams to PRONTs. CSULB won five top orators awards: Stevie De La Fuente (Vegas PRONT, 1st); Emma Nelson (Lexington PRONT, 1st); Jocelyn Colpitts (Lexington PRONT, 8th); Kylie Barnhart (Vegas PRONT, 12th); and Alexa Alvarez (Vegas PRONT, 14th).
Regionals: CSULB advanced to two regional finals. This marks the 12th straight season that we have done so. CSULB won six top orator awards: Emma Nelson (Ohio, 3rd); Jocelyn Colpitts (Ohio, 4th); Mikayla Browne (Northeastern, 7th); Jordan Gebrian (MT ST Mary’s, 7th); Farnoz Norouzi (MTY ST Mary’s, 8th); and Kylie Barnhart (Western, 9th). Invitationals: CSULB competed in three invitationals and won all three. CSULB produced all six finalists and ten of twelve semi-finalists. Mikayla Browne and Jocelyn Soto-Rivera defended their title as Rocky Mountain Invitational champs. Kylie Barnhart and Ahsley Harding won the Falcon Classic. Morgan Barragan and Ivonne Sotelo won the 49er Classic over Holy Cross. Written Brief: CSULB won two written brief awards. Alexa Alvarez and Stevie De La Fuente finished second in the nation in respondent brief! This is the third time CSULB has been runner up in the contest. Morgan Barragan and Ivonne Sotelo finished 9th in petitioner written brief. CSULB’s streak of finishing in the top 10 of written brief stands for 14 straight seasons now. This is the longest in AMCA history. A new generation will have to take this streak to 15. The Sixth Generation Comes to a Close: The 6th generation of Mooters since I have been coach is over. To invoke two cliches: all good things must end and just as the sun sets, it also rises. The dawn is arriving for a new generation of mooters. But for now, the focus is on the generation that has run its course.
In December, and again in February, I told the squad that nationals would be about its legacy – it had to keep all streaks alive, it needed a top 1 or 2 finish in written brief, and it needed to make a deep run at nationals. The 6th generation rose to the occasion. First, some vitals and a title for the generation: This generation, known as the Seven, was comprised of 17 students divided into 10 teams who competed over 2 seasons. It was a deep squad such that any team was a threat to win any competition. Of the Seven’s 10 teams, 5 won a competition, 7 teams advanced to finals, and 9 advanced to semis. Individual Orator Awards: 1 top 10 orator at the FRONT 5 top speaker rewards at the PRONT 2 of the number one speakers at national competitions in 2023-24 were from CSULB 12 top ten speaker awards at regionals: 6 per season Written Advocacy: The Seven produced six top ten written brief awards in two seasons. CSULB has won 24 top ten briefs since 2010. 25% came in this era. The Seven finished: 2nd, 4th, 5th, and in 9th place three times. That second place finish is one of three in CSULB history. It was one of the boxes the generation had to check and it did.
A Deep Run at the FRONT: CSULB finished 4th in the nation out of 477 teams. CSULB has produced five national semi-finalists – never more than one per generation – the Seven ended the season by checking the final box.
Unique Circumstances and Expectations The Seven competed under unique circumstances. For one, it began by learning and competing over ZOOM. Second, the Seven came in as the defending AMCA national champions in oral advocacy; the first generation to come in under such circumstances. It wore the title well. Defended hard. It was not easy – but life is about doing hard things. We were no longer the plucky underdog people loved. The Seven competed under tremendous pressure – the likes of which only they had experienced – and by any measure it excelled. The Seven inherited and extended the longest top ten brief streak in AMCA history. It inherited and extended AMCA’s second longest national sweet 16 streak. It followed three generations, each unique in their own way, which had made a deep run at nationals. The Seven checked that box. The Seven inherited a streak of reaching a regional finals in 10 straight seasons – that streak now stands at 12. The Seven came in as the three-time defending champions of the Rocky Mountain Invitational. It leaves as the five-time defending champs. The prior four generations produced at least one mooter who qualified for 3 AMCA national tournaments. Emma Nelson checked that box.
Final Thoughts on the Season and the Seven: It is always bittersweet to see a season/era end. I am proud of my competitors and my coaches. Nationals and the brief contest can be crapshoots – coming come down to who judges and the style of who one faces. The Seven extended every streak it inherited. What is more, this generation has passed on a winning culture – one that stresses respect and putting the team first – to next the generation. These streaks and the culture that produced them are in the hands of the next generation of CSULB Mooters.
Thanks to my coaches and our alums. I stand in awe at their talents and dedication to CSULB. I hope we can continue to rely on you all in the future whether it be for your time and expertise and/or your financial support.
