Updated 2009 SPNI Qualifiers List – 55 confirmed

State – (C)onfirmed – Name

Alabama C Kelly Chen

Alaska C Hannah Warren

Arizona C Sayaka Foley

Arkansas C Dana Weston

N. California C Samyukta Bhat

S. California C Joanne Koong

Colorado C Alexandra Lasley

Connecticut C Alexandra Wiener

Delaware C Ann Marie Fitch

D.C. ——————-

Florida C Rachel Gita Gologorsky

Georgia C Ananya Roy

Hawaii C Marissa Wai

Idaho C Erica Barkell

Illinois C Victoria Bian

Indiana C Emily Tallo

Iowa ——————-

Kansas C Hannah Purdy

Kentucky C Caroline Folz

Louisiana C Amelia Wyzywany

Maine C Margaret Bryan

Maryland C Fiona V. Lam

Massachusetts C Michelle Chen

Michigan C Apurva Virkud

Minnesota C Morgan Mahowald

Mississippi C Melanie Newell

Missouri C Margaret Hua

Montana ——————-

Nebraska ——————-

Nevada ——————-

New Hampshire C Jenny Ma

New Jersey C Eve Zhurbinskiy

New Mexico C Rebecca Anne DeLand

New York ——————-

North Carolina C Indira Puri

North Dakota ——————-

Ohio C Rebecca Lelko

Oklahoma C Michelle Farell

Oregon C Dana Hannibal

Pennsylvania ——————-

Rhode Island ——————–

South Carolina C Kristen Snowdeal

South Dakota C Kaitlynn Loos

Tennessee C Autumn Douthitt

Texas C Courtney Jamison

Texas C Julia Jones

Texas-ALT. ——————-

Utah ——————-

Vermont C Natalia Lopez

Virginia C Yang Dai

Washington C Alexandra Botez

West Virginia ——————-

Wisconsin C Mira Ensley-Field

Wyoming C Sara Locker

Special Invitation C Isabel James

Special Invitation C Claudia Munoz

Special Invitation C Brianna Conley

Special Invitation C Angel Bohannon

Special Invitation C Nicole Spencer

Special Invitation C Georgia Olvera

AZ SPNOGirls C Diamond Abdus-Shakoor

AZ SPNOGirls C Kristen Sarna

AZ SPNOGirls C Aiya Cancio

AZ SPNOGirls C Rebekah Liu

LV SPWOGirls C Linda Diaz

LV SPWOGirls C Emily Nguyen

All Star Team C Epiphany Peters

If (qualified) players choose to stay on TTU’s campus, players who complete the tournament will receive free accommodation (based on double occupancy; small, additional fees for single rooms or to share with family members may occur) on campus at Texas Tech University. In addition, all qualified participants will receive free meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner for 6 days = 18 meals per player). Both are being provided by TTU Provost Office, SPICE and the Susan Polgar Foundation.

The prize fund, sponsored by the Susan Polgar Foundation and the U.S. Chess Trust, are $1,250 divided into four scholarship prizes: 1st ($500), 2nd ($300), 3rd ($250), and 4th ($200). These prizes are paid to the players directly by the U.S. Chess Trust and the Susan Polgar Foundation, but only upon receipt of proof of enrollment in a college, university, trade, community, or technical school.

In addition, a $500 Ursula Foster scholarship is also awarded to the highest finisher under the age of 14. The scholarship is divided in the case of a tie.

The winner of the tournament is crowned the Susan Polgar National Invitational Champion. Co-champions are recognized in the case of a tie, with each champion receiving a Champion’s Plaque or Trophy. The Champion (or Co-Champions) will automatically be invited to defend her title (must meet age requirement).

Texas Tech University agrees to award a four-year academic scholarship (to attend TTU) to the highest finishing player who has not graduated from high school by August (value at approximately $75,000-$80,000). The scholarship must begin the following year. Tie-break calculations will be used in the case of a tie for the TTU scholarship. There will also be scholarships available for the 2nd and 3rd place finishers.

The total value for the sponsorship from Texas Tech University, SPICE and the Susan Polgar Foundation is more than $1.5 million over 10 years. This is in addition to the substantial sponsorship from the U.S. Chess Trust and the family of Ursula Foster.

Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar