Day One Barista Leaderboard for Eastern Conference Qualifying Event

Day One of the Eastern Conference Barista Competition Qualifying Event has come to a close. 25 baristas entered the hallowed KC Convention Center halls and competed their hearts out.

Here’s the standings through Day One—the top 6 competitors once the dust settles will earn a first-round bye at the 2016 US Barista Championship event in Atlanta, GA. 25 more baristas are due to compete tomorrow—we’ll be here covering it live right here on the Sprudge Media Network. All of our 2016 US Coffee Championships coverage is sponsored by Urnex Brands.

1. Samuel Lewontin, Everyman Espresso, New York, NY–337

2. Ashley Elander, Intelligentsia, Chicago, IL–328

3. Jeremy Sterner, Peregrine Espresso, Washington, DC–308.5

4. Marcos Iglesias, BREW Coffee Bar/Raleigh Coffee, Raleigh, NC–307

5. Nathan Nerswick, Chattahoochee Coffee Company, Atlanta, GA–305

6. Michael Harwood, Ceremony Coffee Roasters, Annapolis, MD–294.5

7. T. Ben Fischer, Stone Creek Coffee Roasters, Milwaukee, WI–281.5

8. Kathie Hilberg, Spyhouse Coffee Roasting Co, Minneapolis, MN–279.5

9. Micah Sherer, Ally Coffee, Greenville, SC–279.5

10. David G. Hall, Kaldi’s Coffee Roasting Co, Kansas City, MO–272

11. Corey R. Reilly, Counter Culture Coffee, New York, NY–266

12. Abeah Hunter, Panther Coffee, Miami, FL–261

13. Helena Shanks, River Rock Coffee, St. Peter, MN–259

14. Kevin Wilsea, Gimme! Coffee, Ithaca, NY–258.5

15. Nathan Dela Cruz, Anodyne Coffee Roasting, Milwaukee, WI–255.5

16. Jonathen Liu, Blue Bottle Coffee, Brooklyn, NY–251.5

17. Jordan Howe, Arthouse Coffee, St. Louis, MO–247.5

18. Margaret DeGoosh, Bard Coffee, Portland, ME–243.5

19. Wade Preston, Prevail Coffee Roasters, Opelika, AL–232.5

20. Erik Czuprinski, River City Roasters, Wheaton, IL–231

21. Sam Lipnick, La Colombe Coffee, Washington, DC–230.5

22. Alex Schuster, Dunn Brothers Coffee, Eden Prairie, MN–227.5

23. Courtney Vaquera, Madcap Coffee, Grand Rapids, MI–225.5

24. Erin Swift, Beans and Bagels, Chicago, IL–219.5

25. Anna Rozenberg, Charter Coffee, New York, NY–216.5