COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO – Three pre-law students at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs were named “Best Prosecuting Team” at a mock trial last month at the Phi Alpha Delta pre-law conference in Washington, D.C.

The team was the only pre-law chapter team to win in the area of prosecution.

The three-student team included Jill Weeldreyer, senior, Crystal Ovitt, senior, and Mercedes Simoncelli, junior. All three are Colorado Springs residents. Ovitt and Weeldreyer are student interns at the Center for the study of Government and the Individual and student representatives at its Advisory Committee. This was the first time a team from CU-Colorado Springs participated in the competition.

“This prestigious recognition speaks volumes about the pre-law students at UCCS and provides opportunities for these students as future attorneys. Local attorneys should be proud of these students,” Jim Colvin, instructor, Political Science, and team advisor, said.

During their Washington, D.C. visit, the students toured the Supreme Court and met with Stephen Breyer, associate justice, U.S. Supreme Court. The university’s Student Government Association helped finance the students’ trip.

Phi Alpha Delta is the world’s largest law fraternity for men and women pre-law students. Membership also includes law students, legal educators, attorneys, judges, and government officials. More information can be found at http://www.pad.org/.

CU-Colorado Springs, located on Austin Bluffs Parkway in northeast Colorado Springs, is the fastest growing university in Colorado and one of the fastest growing universities in the nation. The university offers 25 bachelor's degrees, 17 master's and two doctoral degrees. The campus enrolls more than 7,600 students annually.

• Margo Baker, Associate Director
  University Relations
  CU-Colorado Springs
  (719) 262-3832
  
• Teresa Rudd
  Phi Alpha Delta,
  (719) 573-2222