In 1998, the University of
Iowa team made its first appearance at the National Championship Tournament in over ten
years. Two years later, Iowa qualified two teams to Des Moines for the first
time, both receiving honorable mentions by finishing 11th and 13th. In 2001,
the University of Iowa again qualified two teams to the National Championship
Tournament with one team finishing 4th in the nation. A year later the
University of Iowa was crowned the National Champion of Intercollegiate Mock
Trial.
In the 2002-2003 season the University of Iowa rode on the backs of its
returning champions and a large incoming class to have the most successful
season in the history of the organization. The University of Iowa became the
second school in AMTA history to win back to back national championship titles,
after finishing the National Championship Tournament undefeated.
The University of Iowa created another page in AMTA history in the spring of
2006 by becoming the first school to earn six consecutive top five finishes at
the AMTA National Championship Tournament. From 2001 - 2006 the University of
Iowa finished 4th, 1st, 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 4th, respectively.
Since the 2000 season, the University of Iowa Mock Trial Club has earned
8 All-American attorney awards and 6 All-American witness awards. During
that same stretch of time the University of Iowa Mock Trial Club has annually
qualified the maximum number of teams allowed by AMTA to compete in post-regional
tournament competition.
The University of Iowa Mock Trial Club has hosted the Iowa Cornshucker
Challenge, one of the most selective and competitive invitational tournaments
in the nation, since 2001. The Spirit of AMTA award at the Cornshucker, an
award given out to the team that embodies civility and respect, is named the
Brooke Walton Award in her honor.
The University of Iowa team was also awarded the first ever National
Championship Tournament Spirit of AMTA Award in 2000 for embodying civility and
respect in the courtroom.