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| 6 | 7 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 7 | 8 | | WHEREAS, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley chess team |
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| 8 | 9 | | furthered its legacy of success by becoming co-champions of the |
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| 9 | 10 | | 2025 President's Cup tournament, held April 5 and 6 in Dallas; and |
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| 10 | 11 | | WHEREAS, The Vaqueros qualified for the President's Cup with |
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| 11 | 12 | | their victory at the Pan-American Intercollegiate Team |
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| 12 | 13 | | Championship in January; on the last day of that tournament, the |
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| 13 | 14 | | UTRGV A Team bested The University of Texas at Dallas, earning a |
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| 14 | 15 | | perfect score of six points after winning all six of its matches; |
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| 15 | 16 | | the Vaqueros were the only team among the 91 competing squads to |
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| 16 | 17 | | execute a flawless performance; and |
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| 17 | 18 | | WHEREAS, UTRGV entered the President's Cup tournament ranked |
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| 18 | 19 | | fourth out of the four qualifying teams, but its players remained |
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| 19 | 20 | | undaunted; the Vaqueros opened the event against Webster |
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| 20 | 21 | | University, splitting the match in a 2-2 draw, and the second round |
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| 21 | 22 | | contest with Saint Louis University also ended in a 2-2 tie; going |
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| 22 | 23 | | into the final round against UT Dallas, UTRGV trailed the leading |
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| 23 | 24 | | teams by a half point, but the Vaqueros rallied to finish with a |
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| 24 | 25 | | total score of 7, tying Webster University for a share of the |
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| 25 | 26 | | championship; the team's performance earned UTRGV its fourth |
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| 26 | 27 | | national title, adding to the three consecutive wins the program |
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| 27 | 28 | | achieved beginning in 2018; and |
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| 28 | 29 | | WHEREAS, The UTRGV team benefited from the contributions of |
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| 29 | 30 | | grandmasters Gleb Dudin, Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux, and Jose Cardoso |
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| 30 | 31 | | Cardoso and international masters Jakub Fus and Ekin Baris Ozenir; |
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| 31 | 32 | | over the course of the year, these talented players benefited from |
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| 32 | 33 | | the able guidance of coach grandmaster Bartek Macieja and program |
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| 33 | 34 | | manager Anthony Colt Smith-Muñoz; and |
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| 34 | 35 | | WHEREAS, By collecting four President's Cup crowns in seven |
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| 35 | 36 | | years, the UT Rio Grande Valley team has distinguished itself as a |
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| 36 | 37 | | powerhouse in collegiate chess, and the 2025 Vaquero competitors |
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| 37 | 38 | | may indeed reflect with pride on a job well done; now, therefore, be |
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| 38 | 39 | | it |
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| 39 | 40 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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| 40 | 41 | | Legislature hereby congratulate The University of Texas Rio Grande |
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| 41 | 42 | | Valley chess team on earning a share of the national championship at |
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| 42 | 43 | | the 2025 President's Cup tournament and extend to all those |
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| 43 | 44 | | associated with the program sincere best wishes for continued |
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| 44 | 45 | | success; and, be it further |
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| 45 | 46 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 46 | 47 | | prepared for the team as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 47 | 48 | | House of Representatives. |
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