Men’s lacrosse midfielder Gabriel Gutierrez (‘27) is no stranger to hard work. Majoring in business and psychology with a minor in philosophy, he exemplifies persistence both on the field and in the classroom, earning his role as a student-athlete through dedication, patience and resilience.
Recently, the Rangers faced Vassar College in a scrimmage that ended in a 17–7 loss. While the final score wasn’t what the team hoped for, the game marked a major milestone for Gutierrez, it was his first career start. Stepping into the faceoff role for the first time, Gutierrez found himself under immediate pressure. Going up against four different Vassar faceoff specialists, he held his own, finishing the day at 47% while adding six ground balls and two caused turnovers.
With this player change, it was made obvious that the faceoff portion of the game was a source of nerves for Coach Leidl but looking back in reflection, it soon became one of the highlights of Gutierrez’s time as a Ranger. For Gutierrez, hearing that praise after spending two and a half years working without seeing much game time was deeply meaningful.
“It was revitalizing,” he said. “After putting in so much work just to earn a spot, it meant a lot to hear that my effort showed.”
Gutierrez is determined to build on this momentum and looks forward to creating even greater moments as a Ranger, with the ultimate goal of helping the program become a Landmark Conference champion.
Off the field, Gutierrez is just as committed. During his sophomore year, he worked as a Peer Career Coach for the Center for Career Development at Sycamore Cottage, where he managed social media, assisted with tabling events, ran resume workshops and helped students through the Career Closet. He also worked at the Residence Life front desk, building strong relationships within the department. In his junior year, he stepped into the role of Community Advisor for Foster Hall, while also working as a lifeguard at the Simon Forum pool.
Academically, Gutierrez has found a particular passion in philosophy. His favorite class at Drew has been Problems of Metaphysics with Professor Erik Anderson. He credits Professor Anderson with making philosophy accessible and helping him navigate complex philosophical texts in a way that resonated with modern life. More importantly, the class helped Gutierrez deepen his understanding of his faith and personal philosophy.
Being a collegiate athlete has shaped Gutierrez’s approach to time management and academics. The demanding schedule requires him to stay ahead of assignments, communicate with professors and lean on his teammates for support. Seeing a fellow lacrosse player in class on the first day of the semester brings a sense of comfort, he knows they’ll push through the challenges together.
Whether it is putting in the work at practice and watching it pay off on the field, leading in the residence halls or debating metaphysics in the classroom, Gutierrez continues to define what it means to be a true student-athlete at Drew.
Gillian Sampson is a graduate student in the Masters of Education program.
