Dayra Gonzalez 
THE RIDER FILE PHOTO
UTRGV Chess makes its next move toward historic women’s championship
UTRGV’s award-winning chess program is preparing to compete in the first U.S. Collegiate Women’s Championship, marking a new chapter for women in college chess.
The team will first go through the Texas State Women’s Championship which will take place on Oct. 4 and 5.
Following the state tournament, if qualified, UTRGV will take part in the national championship, organized by the U.S. Chess Federation, that will take place on Nov. 22 and 23. This will allow women from across the country to compete at the college level for the first time.
“Women in chess have been underrepresented for a long time,” said Colt Smith-Muñoz, UTRGV Chess program manager. “Having a national championship creates a space to show they can compete at the highest level.”
The announcement comes after a remarkable year for the university. The program won the Pan-American Intercollegiate Chess Championship in January, swept the Southwest Collegiate Championship in March and became co-champions of the President’s Cup in April. Those results led to the UTRGV recognition as Chess College of the Year by both the U.S. Chess Federation and the Texas Chess Association in August.
“It’s not enough to just be a good player,” coach Bartek Macieja said. “You really need to be focused, prepared and give everything you have in a competition. That’s what makes our team so strong and successful.”
This fall, the team will also continue preparations for the Texas Collegiate Superfinals set for Oct. 25 and 26, followed by the Pan-American Championship on Jan. 2, 2026. If successful, UTRGV will return to the President’s Cup next spring.
Apart from official tournaments, the chess program also plans to host a blindfold exhibition match Oct. 14 at the Student Union lawn on the Brownsville campus during the Carnival of Madness event to showcase the skills of its players.
For Smith-Muñoz and Macieja, the challenge ahead is to keep UTRGV at the top of collegiate chess while inspiring excellence and also, showing what women can achieve in the sport.
“Our students are extremely dedicated,” Smith-Muñoz said. “That discipline is what keeps us at the top, and now we want to carry the same standard into the women’s championship.”
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