YSU Moot Court

By Gabrielle Fellows

Youngstown State University’s four moot court members recently returned from the American Moot Court Association’s national championship tournament held in Gulfport, Florida.

Although the students did not win any awards, they were able to walk away from the competition with pride, said Jacob Schriner-Briggs, a returning moot court competitor.

Andrick Massaro and Schriner-Briggs reached the 16 round of competition and Mickey Marshall and Jillian Smith broke to the partial-double octofinal. Smith was named 17th best individual orator in the country.

Jacob Tomory and Samantha Fritz were able to reach the eighth round and were the first freshman duo from YSU to break at the national tournament. The duo is tied with two other partners for YSU’s most successful moot court run.

Fritz was also given the title of 15th best orator in the country and Tomory was given the 20th.

Schriner-Briggs coached both Tomory and Fritz’s speech and debate team when they were in high school and later recruited them for the university’s moot court after seeing the duo’s talents.

“This season, I got to watch [Tomory and Fritz] who I had the opportunity to coach … surpass me in a competition I have valued my entire undergraduate career,” Schriner-Briggs said, “Competing in moot court has been an honor and privilege.”

Fritz said she’s grateful for where moot court has taken her in during the short time she has participated and is excited to continue working with Tomory in upcoming seasons.

“I really love it,” Fritz said, “I want to go to law school and be a lawyer, so it sort of gives me a taste of that.”

While YSU’s moot court didn’t come back with any awards during this competition, Schriner-Briggs said not to count them out in the future.

“I will miss it dearly, but look forward to helping in any way I can to give back and help my younger teammates improve,” Schriner-Briggs said. “YSU will win a national championship —  it’s only a matter of time.”