Baylor Law School Hosts the Tournament of Champions

by Madeleine Rae Johnson, Baylor University Class of 2026

November 12, 2025

Baylor Law School recently hosted the Tournament of Champions Mock Trial Competition, earning the hosting honors after the team of Greta Andersen, Gage Jones, Vivian Noyd, and Varun Reddy captured the national championship in 2023. Several Baylor Lawyers returned to campus, including two alumni from that championship team, to serve as judges throughout the competition.

Noyd and Reddy were among those who returned to Baylor Law to judge the 2025 Tournament of Champions. “It’s an honor to come back to the law school to judge this competition. To even get invited to the Tournament of Champions, you have to be the best of the best,” Reddy said.

Sixteen schools from across the country participated in this year’s event. NYU School of Law emerged as the winner, with UC Berkeley School of Law finishing as the runner-up. Becca Goren from UC Berkeley School of Law was named the top speaker, while Ashley Alphonse from NYU School of Law was recognized as the runner-up in the preliminary rounds.

Judge Lora Livingston served as the presiding judge during the final round, and the semifinal rounds were presided over by Judges Tom, JD’05, and Christine, JD’05, Nowak. Other judges during the competition were Andy Ryan, JD’05; Rhonda Thompson, JD’01; Julie Springer, JD’87; Wesley Lotz, JD’04; Andy Tindel, JD’82; and Beth Toben.

“Baylor Law gave me a strong foundation that I’ve built upon in my first year of practice, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the training and mentorship I received through Baylor’s mock trial program,” Noyd said.

Both Noyd and Reddy currently work in Austin, Texas. Noyd is an associate at Segal McCambridge, while Reddy works as a construction and commercial litigation associate at Andrews Myers P.C.

The Tournament of Champions began in 1989. Competitors qualify based on a bid system that evaluates a three-year performance record at the National Trial Competition and the National Student Trial Advocacy Competition, as well as past performances at Tournament of Champions competitions.