Gutierrez Repeats as FIFA National Champ

IRVING, Texas – Zaid Gutierrez likes looking at the hardware in his room.

Dallas College North Lake's eSports expert will eventually be adding to his collection.

"I like the trophies in my room," Gutierrez said. "They look really nice."

Gutierrez won the National Junior College Athletic Association eSports Tier 1 FIFA Championship, becoming Dallas College's first back-to-back champion in the gaming circles. He won the 2023 FIFA Spring Open title, while competing for Mountain View in his first semester with Dallas College's eSports program.

"It was a championship or bust type of competition for me, just like last year," Gutierrez said after becoming North Lake's first eSports champion. "I just go out there, and do my thing."

Gutierrez did his thing to the tune of a 16-0 record in the fall. He dropped two games in his stiffest competition of the season, erasing a 2-0 deficit to storm back and win the best-of-5 super regional matchup against Northwest College's Erick Braga. He later beat the same opponent, 3-0, in the semifinals.

"The guy is really good, really talented," Gutierrez said. "He's probably the toughest guy in there. Everybody else, if I zone in, no one's going to beat me." This year nobody did.

And while at times, because his level is so high, Gutierrez may appear on an island, what with his presence as the lone sports gamer on North Lake's eSports roster, he found camaraderie amongst his first person shooter teammates, watching the Blazers Call of Duty squad compete in the quarterfinals a week ago.

"Made some new friends in the eSports program," Gutierrez said. "It's cool to be a part of."