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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley chess team |
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furthered its legacy of success by becoming co-champions of the |
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2025 President's Cup tournament, held April 5 and 6 in Dallas; and |
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WHEREAS, The Vaqueros qualified for the President's Cup with |
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their victory at the Pan-American Intercollegiate Team |
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Championship in January; on the last day of that tournament, the |
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UTRGV A Team bested The University of Texas at Dallas, earning a |
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perfect score of six points after winning all six of its matches; |
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the Vaqueros were the only team among the 91 competing squads to |
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execute a flawless performance; and |
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WHEREAS, UTRGV entered the President's Cup tournament ranked |
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fourth out of the four qualifying teams, but its players remained |
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undaunted; the Vaqueros opened the event against Webster |
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University, splitting the match in a 2-2 draw, and the second round |
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contest with Saint Louis University also ended in a 2-2 tie; going |
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into the final round against UT Dallas, UTRGV trailed the leading |
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teams by a half point, but the Vaqueros rallied to finish with a |
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total score of 7, tying Webster University for a share of the |
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championship; the team's performance earned UTRGV its fourth |
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national title, adding to the three consecutive wins the program |
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achieved beginning in 2018; and |
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WHEREAS, The UTRGV team benefited from the contributions of |
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grandmasters Gleb Dudin, Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux, and Jose Cardoso |
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Cardoso and international masters Jakub Fus and Ekin Baris Ozenir; |
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over the course of the year, these talented players benefited from |
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the able guidance of coach grandmaster Bartek Macieja and program |
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manager Anthony Colt Smith-Muñoz; and |
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WHEREAS, By collecting four President's Cup crowns in seven |
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years, the UT Rio Grande Valley team has distinguished itself as a |
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powerhouse in collegiate chess, and the 2025 Vaquero competitors |
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may indeed reflect with pride on a job well done; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate The University of Texas Rio Grande |
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Valley chess team on earning a share of the national championship at |
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the 2025 President's Cup tournament and extend to all those |
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associated with the program sincere best wishes for continued |
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success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the team as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |