Avangeline Bailey
Avangeline Bailey (she/her) is a freshman from Phoenix (Arcadia) studying Business Law. She’s a McCord Scholar and member of ΦΑΔ (Phi Alpha Delta) Pre-Law, and she’s here for the friends, the reps, and the thrill of trial. Bailey plans to pursue a career in law while keeping an open mind about which area to specialize in. Movie night? The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Book? Walden. TV? Supernatural. She will happily defend tapioca pudding as an elite dessert and insists ASU overalls are, frankly, chopped. A Sagittarius and ENTP (Enneagram 8), she can chat in niche languages like ASL, Ancient Greek, and Latin. Her go-to drink is AJ’s iced tea; her guilty pleasure is Taylor Swift; and her dream superpower is breathing underwater.
Quote: “To define is to limit.” — Oscar Wilde
Anthem: Stubborn Love – The Lumineers
Year in SDMT: 1st
Nishka Bhoite
Nishka Bhoite (she/her) is a freshman from Chandler studying Political Science. She plans to join the South Asian Society and RISE and is still exploring which area of law she wants to pursue. This semester, Nishka is excited to meet new people, scrimmage, and learn this year’s case. She loves sushi and Sinners, and she identifies as an INTJ who believes pineapple definitely belongs on pizza. Something surprising? She used to work as a Starbucks barista. These days her go-to order is an iced white mocha with vanilla sweet cream cold foam and extra caramel drizzle. Her guilty pleasure is watching ASMR to fall asleep, and if she could have a superpower, it would be mind reading.
Quote: “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” — Albus Dumbledore
Anthem: Try Everything – Shakira (as Gazelle)
Year in SDMT: 1st
Peter Cipra
Peter Cipra (he/him) is a freshman from Scottsdale majoring in Business (Law). Outside of SDMT, he plays rugby, lifts weights, and works part-time at Wieneke Law Group. Peter hopes to practice transactional law, preferably on the East Coast in New York or Boston. This semester, he’s excited to connect with teammates and get comfortable with the mock trial process. A French speaker and ESTJ, he loves sushi, Good Will Hunting, The Iliad, and Better Call Saul. His unpopular opinion? Persistently rainy or cloudy weather beats persistently sunny. Once a big high school band kid, he now fuels up with black coffee (two sugars) and a seasonal haul from Trader Joe’s. If he could have a superpower, it would be teleportation.
Quote: “That’s my dream; that’s my nightmare. Crawling, slithering, along the edge of a straight razor… and surviving.” — Colonel Kurtz, Apocalypse Now
Anthem: Upside Down – Jack Johnson
Year in SDMT: 1st
Amy Fleming
Amy Fleming (she/her) is a freshman from Scottsdale, Arizona, majoring in Forensic Psychology. She hopes to one day pursue a career in law, though she’s still figuring out the exact path. Outside of class, Amy loves crocheting and making gifts for her friends. She’s thrilled to be meeting so many new people this semester. Amy loves pasta, is a big fan of K-dramas when she’s in the mood, and she practiced Taekwondo for nine years!! Her coffee order usually leans toward matcha, and her guilty pleasure is binge-watching Dance Moms. Amy insists bag charms are worth buying in every style. If she had a superpower, it would be super speed.
Quote: “It’s not the years in your life that count, it’s the life in your years.” – Abraham Lincoln
Anthem:Sweet Escape – Gwen Stefani
Year in SDMT: 1st
Juliana Hernandez-Betancur
Juliana Hernandez-Betancur (she/her) is a freshman from Gilbert, Arizona, double majoring in Political Science and Philosophy. She’s a pianist who performs regularly and participates in two dance clubs at ASU. Juliana hopes to work in government, potentially with the U.S. Department of State as an ambassador. This semester, she’s excited to meet her teammates and dive into mock trial. A Leo and ENTJ who’s fluent in Spanish, she loves La La Land and Tiramisu, both the dessert and the metaphorical vibe. She once won her school spelling bee and insists that Labubus shoes are the ugliest things in existence. Her go-to drink is a pumpkin cream cold brew, her guilty pleasure is—you guessed it—more tiramisu, and her dream power is conjuring any item she needs.
Quote: (She’s still deciding!)
Anthem: Talk – beabadoobee
Year in SDMT: 1st
Krithika Janne
Krithika Janne (she/her) is a freshman from Mesa majoring in Business (Global Politics). She loves reading, painting, and watching Top Gear and Criminal Minds. Krithika hopes to attend law school and eventually work as an international lawyer or diplomat. This semester, she’s eager to make friends and compete at her first tournaments. A Gemini and INFP who speaks Telugu, she collects bells from her travels and loves lemon tiramisu. Her guilty pleasure is scrolling through one-star Goodreads reviews for entertainment, and she insists morning showers beat night ones. She runs on strawberry lemonade and dreams of teleportation as her superpower.
Quote: “Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.” — Goethe
Anthem: Unwritten – Natasha Bedingfield
Year in SDMT: 1st
Ben Kayne
Ben Kayne (he/him) is a freshman from Los Angeles majoring in Communications and Political Science. When he’s not writing, lifting, or reading, he’s watching sports—baseball, basketball, and football—and yes, he’s the friend who lives for NFL RedZone Sundays. Ben hopes to become a criminal defense attorney, specifically a public defender. This semester, he’s excited to sharpen his skills and deepen his understanding of law and trial work. He’s into hamburgers, The Greatest Showman, the Alex Cross series, and Suits or Brooklyn 99. He’ll die on the hill that sushi isn’t good and has already run three marathons. Apple juice is his “coffee” order, and if he could choose a superpower, he’d pick super speed.
Quote: “Do the right thing even if it is the hard thing.” — Bryan Stevenson
Anthem:Can’t Hold Us – Macklemore
Year in SDMT: 1st
Danit Knishinsky
Danit Knishinsky (she/her) is a freshman from Scottsdale studying Business Law. She’s a lifelong figure skater—and yes, she can still pull off some of the hardest moves on the ice. Danit hopes to become a corporate or international lawyer and is excited this semester to watch trials and learn from the experienced members on the team. She’s a fan of Desperate Housewives, loves pasta, and always orders a caramel macchiato when it’s coffee time. Her unpopular opinion? She can’t stand pastries or breakfast foods. Her guilty pleasure is watching movies while doing homework, and something people might not guess about her is how serious her skating background is. If she could have a superpower, she’d pick mind reading.
Quote: “Living is like tearing through a museum. Not until later do you really start absorbing what you saw.” – Audrey Hepburn
Anthem:Best of Both Worlds – Hannah Montana
Year in SDMT: 1st
Naomi Martin
Naomi Martin (she/her) is a freshman from Tucson studying Business Law. She’s also a member of Women in Business, attends church, and loves to write. Naomi hopes to become a mediator representing companies in negotiation deals or during legal trouble, though she’s also considering family or international law. This semester, she’s excited to improve her public speaking and confidence and to meet new people. She loves F1, Hurricane Child, and Law & Order: SVU, and she swears sweet potato fries are elite (but gummy bears are gross). Something surprising? She can do a backbend on command. Naomi runs on vanilla bean frappuccinos—or an iced vanilla chai from Dutch—and her guilty pleasure is chocolate. If she could pick a superpower, she’d choose teleportation to explore the world.
Quote: “We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated.” — Maya Angelou
Anthem: Shine – Cleo Sol
Year in SDMT: 1st
Miryam Nielson
Miryam Nielson (she/her) is a freshman from Colorado City studying Political Science and earning a certificate in Political History and Leadership. She loves rewatching The Office, grooming her family’s dogs, and going to clubs on campus. Miryam hopes to become an attorney and build a strong professional network during her time at ASU. An Aquarius who loves anything with raspberries, she counts The Book Thief and The Office (or Better Call Saul when she’s serious) among her favorites. Her unpopular opinion? Conversations with people you disagree with can be more fun than with people who agree with you. She’s a retired Xbox player who used to beat her older brother at Call of Duty. With a vanilla latte in hand, she’s ready for the semester. If she could choose a superpower, it would be the ability to retain everything she learns.
Quote: “Get busy living or get busy dying.” — The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Anthem: Anti-Hero – Taylor Swift
Year in SDMT: 1st
Elias Ramirez
Elias Ramirez (he/him) is a freshman from Ripon, California, double majoring in Political Science and Psychology while pursuing a Cross-Sector Leadership certificate. Outside of class, he’s usually hanging out with friends, listening to music, or playing the piano. Elias hopes to attend Harvard Law after graduating in 2029, become a white-collar defense attorney, and one day serve as a U.S. Senator. This semester, he’s excited to dive into the academic and competitive atmosphere of SDMT. His favorites include sushi, Mid 90s, Nineteen Minutes, and Breaking Bad. A Virgo and ESTJ, he admits his guilty pleasure is watching mukbangs, and something you might not guess is his piano talent. He fuels up with caramel apple spice drinks from Starbucks—“like an apple pie in a cup”—and would love the superpower of being naturally good at everything.
Quote: “Burn the ships.”
Anthem: Anything by Frank Ocean
Year in SDMT: 1st
Hope Salinas
Hope Salinas (she/her) is a freshman from Phoenix majoring in English Literature with a minor in Animation. She hopes to become both a lawyer and a published author with a PhD someday. Hope is especially excited to travel and meet new people this semester. She loves Beauty and the Beast, The Cruel Prince, and Jujutsu Kaisen, and she admits her guilty pleasure is diving into a warm Pizzookie topped with ice cream. A Capricorn and proud Ravenclaw, she swears mint ice cream tastes like toothpaste. Hope practiced jiu-jitsu competitively, fuels up with green tea, and would choose mind reading as her superpower.
Quote: “To infinity and beyond!” — Toy Story
Anthem:Secret Door – Arctic Monkeys
Year in SDMT: 1st
Chris Tharalson
Chris Tharalson (he/him) is a freshman from Scottsdale studying Business (Law). Music is his daily routine—he’s practicing guitar, hitting the gym, and heading out with the Outdoors Club when he can. Chris hopes to earn an MBA, then a JD, and ultimately pursue a joint JD-MBA. He’s pumped to compete and especially excited for crosses—new challenge, new rush. He’ll recommend Harry Potter, Leaders Eat Last, and Breaking Bad, order his coffee black, and argue that microwaving leftover pizza is totally fine. He says he has a knack for sales; his guilty pleasure is bingeing TV shows; and he’d choose super-intelligence as a superpower.
Quote: “Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today.” — Jordan Peterson
Anthem:Maple Syrup – The Backseat Lovers
Year in SDMT: 1st
Tess Tuka
Tess Tuka (she/her) is a freshman from Gilbert majoring in Business, with plans to transition into Business Law. She balances school with trips to the gym, work, and plenty of time with friends. Teresa hopes to become either an immigration or family lawyer. This semester, she’s excited to make new connections and find opportunities through SDMT. A seafood fan and Aquarius ENFJ, she proudly says everything Marvel—except Spider-Man—is overrated. She loves The Hobbit, can recite Hamilton start-to-finish, and has logged over 70 anime shows. Teresa usually reaches for an energy drink, admits her guilty pleasure is binging anime, and if she could have a superpower, it would be teleportation (with objects in tow).
Quote: “Keep Moving Forward.”
Anthem: She’s Always a Woman – Billy Joel
Year in SDMT: 1st
Audra Ward
Audra Ward (she/her) is a freshman from Tempe studying Finance and Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership in Barrett, The Honors College. When she’s not in class, you’ll find her working as a hostess or at FMA meetings, and she’s already soaking up everything SDMT has to offer. Audra is working toward law school with hopes of one day practicing in Washington, D.C. She’s excited to meet new people and learn from this experience throughout the season. A Sagittarius (and ENTP) who swears by sushi and Good Will Hunting or Percy Jackson on a cozy night in, she’ll also admit she doesn’t like soda—or most flavored drinks. Fun fact: she loves making pottery pieces in her free time. Fueled by chai lattes and a guilty love of anything peanut butter, Audra brings a warm, curious energy to the team. If she could pick a superpower, she’d go for telekinesis—or flight.
Quote: “Everything happens for a reason.”
Anthem: Vienna – Billy Joel
Year in SDMT: 1st
Sun Devil Mock Trial 