Event Details

2024 National Championship
of College Chess

UT Dallas Chess Team

International Master

USCF Rating: 2462
FIDE Rating: 2395
Home Country: Lithuania
Major: Finance and Economics

UT Dallas Chess Staff

About UT Dallas

The University of Texas at Dallas is one of the top research institutions in Texas. It provides some of the state’s most-lauded business, engineering and science programs, as well as innovative and traditional programs in the liberal arts, and offers highly diverse educational paths through 148 academic programs across seven schools.

UTD’s trajectory as one of the fastest-growing public universities in the U.S. is fueled by
its bright students, faculty, staff, alumni and the stature of its programs. Designated as an “R1” institution – a classification reserved for doctoral universities with “very high research activity” – by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education, UTD is part of The University of Texas System and is aligned strategically with other institutions, corporations and nonprofits, including UT Southwestern Medical Center and prestigious universities worldwide.

UTD is home to more than 30,000 students, including nearly 7,000 international students from about 100 countries. This diverse student body benefits from a residential campus known for academic rigor, career focus, social opportunities and a sustainable landscape, featuring more than 7,000 trees.

UT Rio Grande Valley Chess Team

Grandmaster

USCF Rating: 2641
FIDE Rating: 2574
Home Country: Slovakia
Major: Economics

UT Rio Grande Valley Chess Staff

About UTRGV

Situated in deep South Texas at the confluence of two nations, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) is a driving force in the heart of one of the state’s fastest-growing and most culturally rich regions.

As one of the country’s largest Hispanic-serving Institutions with Seal of Excelencia certification, UTRGV offers a dynamic learning environment with over 135 undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees spanning a range of disciplines.

UTRGV’s commitment to excellence and graduating students with little to no debt contributed to it being named the No. 1 University in Texas, according to Washington Monthly.

With a growing reputation for offering students a world-class education at an incredible value, UTRGV is now poised to become an R1 university and the first in Texas with schools of medicine, pharmacy and podiatry.

Chess has been an important part of UTRGV and has acted as a metaphor of the vast human potential that our region holds. The UTRGV Chess Team won three President’s Cup Tournaments: in 2018, 2019 and 2021. In 2018 and 2019, UTRGV was named “The Chess College of the Year” by USCF. In recognition of the spectacular successes, the UTRGV Chess Team was invited to the Texas Capitol in Austin in 2019, and honored by the governor, Senate and House of Representatives.

University of Missouri Chess Team

Grandmaster

USCF Rating: 2534
FIDE Rating: 2458
Home Country: India
Major: Finance

University of Missouri Chess Staff

About Mizzou

The University of Missouri, or Mizzou, is the state’s flagship, land-grant research university, and a member of the Association of American Universities. Located in Columbia, Missouri, Mizzou has more than 31,000 students in 13 schools and colleges, which offer more than 300 degree programs, including 97 undergraduate majors, 96 master’s degrees, 69 doctoral degrees and 70+ certificates. The university’s graduation rate (76%) and retention rate (91.3%) are at an all-time high, with more than 95% of graduates consistently finding successful career outcomes within six months of graduation.

Mizzou consistently provides students with hands-on learning opportunities that keep them engaged and prepare them for leadership and success. U.S. News & World Report ranked Mizzou No. 1 Best Value among surrounding flagship schools and No. 7 among all flagships in the United States. That’s not all: Time magazine named Mizzou as one of the Best Colleges for Future Leaders, and The Wall Street Journal listed Mizzou among the best for salary impact. Mizzou generates $5 billion for the state’s economy annually, supporting nearly 50,000 jobs and $281.8 million in state and local taxes.

The Mizzou Chess Program was established in fall 2019 as a partnership between the Saint Louis Chess Club and the University of Missouri. The program quickly gained national recognition with a strong initial recruitment season, putting together a competitive team comprised of three Grandmasters and a Women’s Grandmaster during the initial season. Since its inception, the team has amassed numerous national and international titles, including the 2022 World University Blitz Cup and more recently the most prestigious intercollegiate event, the 2024 Pan American Intercollegiate Team Championships. Last season, which culminated with the victory at the Pan Ams, was also very successful in the shorter time formats, where Mizzou became Co-Champions at the 2023 U.S. National Collegiate Rapid Chess Champions.

Webster University Chess Team

Grandmaster

USCF Rating: 2601
FIDE Rating: 2531
Home Country: Hungary
Major: Political Science

Webster University Chess Staff

About Webster University

With its main campus in St. Louis, Missouri, Webster University comprises an action-oriented global network of faculty, staff, students and alumni who forge powerful bonds with each other and with their communities around the globe. Founded in 1915, Webster is an independent nonprofit university with students studying at campus locations in North America, Europe, and Asia, and in a robust learning environment online. Webster is committed to ensuring high-quality learning experiences that transform students for global citizenship and individual excellence.

Since it was founded in 2012, Webster’s chess team has consistently been the highest-ranked team in the United States. Webster has won the President’s Cup six times, the Pan American Intercollegiate Team Championship 10 times and holds more than 70 other national titles. In 2023, Webster won both the Pan Ams and the President’s Cup with a perfect score and was presented with the 2023 College of the Year award by US Chess. Webster is also the first university in the United States to offer a minor in chess.

© The University of Texas at Dallas