In Review: A Victorious Year for Villanova Law Competition Teams

• At the National Veterans Law Moot Court Competition from November 9-10, Courtney Culhane ’25 and Elizabeth Henning ’25 finished as semifinalists. Additionally, they were awarded Best Respondent Brief. The team was coached by Andrea Solís Canto ’25 and Morgan Hill ’25, with assistance from Professor Richard Prebil and Nicholas Ozorowski ’24. 
• At Catholic University’s National Telecommunications and Technology Moot Court Competition from February 8-9, Jacob Roth ’26 and Gavin Tamer ’26 competed in the preliminary rounds. The team was coached by Kelly Gurcsik ’25.
• At the American Bar Association’s National Appellate Advocacy Competition from February 13 to March 1, Taylor Bellardino ’25 and Samuel Rollick ’25 finished as national quarterfinalists. Additionally, Bellardino was named Best Overall Oralist. The team was coached by Elizabeth Henning ’25 and Jillian Updegraff ’25, with assistance from Professor Christine Mooney and Eric Rotteveel ’24.
• At Howard University’s William B. Bryant and Luke C. Moore Invitation Moot Court Competition from February 21-22, Morgan Hill ’25 and Giavanna Litz ’25 competed in the preliminary rounds. The team was coached by Victoria Peña-Parr ’25, with assistance from Jordyn Pace ’24.
• At Catholic University’s Ellen Hennessy Memorial Employment Law Competition from March 7-8, Brianna Cooper ’26 and Kelly Gurcsik ’25 finished as semifinalists. The team was coached by Daniel Rooney ’25.
• At the Hispanic National Bar Association’s 30^th Annual Uvaldo Herrera Moot Court Competition from March 19-20, Andrea Solís Canto ’25 and Victoria Peña-Parr ’25 were named national champions. The team was coached by Morgan Hill ’25 with assistance from Professors Daniel Cortes and Ann Juliano, Alannah King ’24 and LatinoJustice PRLEDF attorney Andrew Case.
• At the Federal Bar Association’s Thurgood Marshall Memorial Competition from March 20-21, Daniel Rooney ’25 and Jillian Updegraff ’25 finished as quarterfinalists. Additionally, Updegraff was awarded the Third Place Overall Oralist Award. The team was coached by Samuel Rollick ’25 with assistance from Professor Itay Ravid and Anna O’Brien ’24.
• At Seton Hall University’s John J. Gibbons Criminal Procedure Moot Court Competition from March 28-29, Wyatt Ansel ’26 and Michael Lambert ’26 competed in the preliminary rounds. The team was coached by Taylor Bellardino ’25, with assistance from Kaitlyn Macaulay ’18.
• At the Herbert Weschler Criminal Procedure Moot Competition hosted by the University at Buffalo School of Law from March 28-29, Claire Sprang ’26 and Seth Winigrad ’26 competed in the preliminary rounds. The team was coached by Elizabeth Henning ’25, with assistance from Professor Steven Channenson and Mylon Medley ’24.
• At Fordham University’s Irving R. Kaufman Securities Competition from March 28-30, Max Farrell ’26 and Allison Jedrzejek ’26 finished as quarterfinalists. Additionally, they were awarded Best Respondent Brief and Best Overall Brief. The team was coached by Andrea Solís Canto ’25, with assistance from Professors Brenner Fissell and Jennifer O’Hare and Parks Kingery ’24.
• At the Jerome Prince Memorial Evidence Moot Court Competition at Brooklyn Law School from April 3-5, Maria Elisa Escobar ’26 and Arielle Jackson ’26 competed in the preliminary round. The team was coached by Giavanna Litz ’25, with assistance from Professor Itay Ravid and Sierra Stockley ’22.

• Kelsey McCafferty ’25 and Grace Mezzanotte ’25 were named champions of the First Chair Trial Competition hosted by Hofstra University School of Law from September 13-15. Adjunct Professors Danielle Nispel, Steve Patton ’15 and Zachary Wynkoop coached the team.
• At the Premiere Trial Competition hosted by Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law from November 9-10, Gabriel Dash ’26, Gabrielle Huff ’26, Elizabeth Schultz ’26 and Conor Whitlark ’26 competed in their first trial advocacy competition. The team went undefeated, winning seven out of eight ballots on the weekend and finishing in third place overall. Additionally, Conor Whitlark ’26 was named Best Advocate. The team was coached by Adjunct Professors Leah George ’21 and Ryan Kelly ’21.
• From November 8-10, Kelsey McCafferty ’25, Grace Mezzanotte ’25, Abby Morris ’25 and Matthew Peipher ’26 competed at the White Collar Crime Invitational hosted by the Georgetown University Law Center. The team earned a record of 4-2. Adjunct Professors Danielle Nispel and Zachary Wynkoop coached the team.
• Grant Stephano ’25, Matthew Ingram ’25, Ambria Smith ’25 and Lucy Sumner ’25 competed at the American Bar Association’s 24th Annual Criminal Justice Mock Trial Competition hosted by Quinnipiac University School of Law from November 1-3. The team finished as quarterfinalists and was coached by Adjunct Professors John Michael Hickey ’15 and Chris Lynett.
• Gabriel Dash ’26, Gabrielle Huff ’26, Ambria Smith ’25 and Lucy Sumner ’25 started the spring semester off strong at Nova Southern University School of Law’s Shark Beach Showdown from February 21-23. The team advanced to the semifinal rounds at this invitation-only competition. Adjunct Professors John Michael Hickey ’15 and  Ryan Kelly ’21 coached the team.
• From February 21-23, two teams competed at the Regional Trial Competition co-hosted by Villanova Law and Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law. For the first time in program history, both teams—Kelsey McCafferty ’25 and Grace Mezzanotte ’25, and Abby Morris ’25 and Matthew Peipher ’26—won the region. Steve Patton ’15 and Adjunct Professors Danielle Nispel and Zachary Wynkoop coached the teams.
• Matthew Ingram ’25, Elizabeth Schultz ’26, Grant Stephano ’25, and Conor Whitlark ’26 represented Villanova Law at the American Association for Justice’s Student Advocacy Competition in Philadelphia from March 6-9. The team finished as semifinalists. They were coached by Adjunct Professors Leah George ’21 and Chris Lynett.
• Completing the year, Kelsey McCafferty ’25, Grace Mezzanotte ’25, Abby Morris ’25 and Matthew Peipher ’26 competed in the National Trial Competition from April 2-5. The two teams placed in the top ten percent of all trial advocacy teams nationwide, and Kelsey McCafferty ’25 and Grace Mezzanotte ’25 were national finalists. Abby Morris ’25 and Matthew Peipher ’26 won eight of their twelve ballots. Elizabeth Schultz ’26 and Daniel Goldfield ’24 served as witnesses. Adjunct Professors Danielle Nispel, Steve Patton ’15 and Zachary Wynkoop coached the teams.

• From January 16-17, two teams competed at the 18^th Annual International Baseball Arbitration Competition at Tulane University School of Law. Carl Capizzi '25, Zach Cioffi '25 and Joe Messina '26 won the competition. Emma Keough '26, George Pla '25 and Alyssa Rodarte '25 finished as quarterfinalists. This was the baseball team’s second straight year winning the competition and the third consecutive year in which two Villanova Law teams made it to the quarterfinal rounds.
• The team of Ethan Chaiet '26, Matt Cohen '26, Christian Novarro '25 and Jonathan Passero '25 won the 11^th Annual Tulane Professional Football Negotiation Competition from January 31-February 1. Mick Maspons '25, Chandon Pierre '25 and Nick Pilny '25 finished as quarterfinalists. 
• Two teams competed in the 8^th Annual Tulane Professional Basketball Negotiation Competition from February 20-21. Team one, Gabby Painter '26, Bryce Prochazka '26 and Zack Slogoff '25, and team two, Tom DePaola '25, Mike Erickson '26 and Pasquale Tartaro '26, both finished in the top 10. 
• From February 21-22, two teams competed in the 4^th Annual New York Law School Soccer Dispute Competition. Justin D'Allessandro '26 and Evan Partridge '26 competed, and Jacob Deradoorian '25 and Juhi Patel '26 won the competition.

In addition, the Sports Law Negotiation Team hosted various competitions at Villanova Law throughout the academic year, including  the Third Annual Baseball Filing Day Competition from October 25-26 and the Fifth Annual Professional Football Negotiation Competition from March 28-29.

• From February 27-March 1, Villanova Law competed at the Phi Alpha Delta Law School Mock Trial Competition in Arlington, VA. Payton Fox ’27, Grace Jang ’27, Dennis Reilly ’27, Andrew Waldman ’27 and Karlee Whitpan ’27 finished in seventh place. Will Gale ’26 and Mitchell Towne ’26 coached the team.

• Michael Huging ’25 and Jorge Navarro ’25 competed in the opening rounds of the American Bar Association Mergers and Acquisitions Competition from October 21-30.
• From November 8-10, Connor Ashnault ’26, Kathryn Kane ’25, Emily Mooney ’25 and Jackson Sindaco ’25 competed in the American Bar Association Negotiation Competition hosted by the University of St. Thomas School of Law.
• Throughout February, Ashley Andino ’25, Sarah Thomas ’26 and Emma Spisak ’26 participated in the virtual qualifying rounds of The Negotiation Challenge 2025 hosted by the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business.
• From February 7-9, Connor Ashnault ’26, Hadley Starr ’26, Rachana Panchal ’26 and Samuel Beatty ’26 competed in the American Bar Association Client Counseling Competition hosted by St. Mary’s School of Law.
• From February 13-14, Kathryn Kane ’25, Jackson Sindaco ’25, Jack Mansur ’25 and George Pla ’25 competed in the University of Miami School of Law Counseling Creators Conference.
• From February 21-23, Samuel Beatty ’26, Samantha Follen ’25, Mackenzie Fuhrmann ’26 and Anna Korchak ’26 competed in the regional rounds of the American Bar Association Representation in Mediation hosted by the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law.
• From March 28-29, Samuel Beatty ’26 and Samantha Follen ’25 competed in the national round of the American Bar Association Representation in Mediation hosted by the Samford University Cumberland School of Law.