Oklahoma City Community College student Daniel Harrison won second place in a national Fortnite build tournament on Nov. 4, earning a $3,000 scholarship prize.

Harrison joined the OCCC eSports team this semester and competes in the game Valorant. He’s played Fortnite since “the day it came out,” he said. 

At OCCC, Harrison is a computer science major and anticipates completing his associate degree in May. He’s planning to continue his education at the University of Central Oklahoma. 

Harrison said he has been interested in software engineering and cybersecurity since he was in high school, where a teacher at Westmoore turned him on to the idea. He said he enjoys the “wide range” of what computer science involves. 

“It’s interesting and I’m not going to get bored with it,” he said.

Harrison, who games as Cromzy, had nine eliminations and 72 placement points for a total of 81 points in the BragHouse Golden Royale Cup tournament. He was bested by bluzro from California State University, Long Beach, who finished with 24 eliminations and 65 placement points for an 89-point total. 

OCCC eSports coach Gerardo Thompson told Harrison about the Fortnite tournament and encouraged him to enter. 

Thompson has been OCCC's eSports coach for just over a year. Currently, the eSports program competes with teams in two games and plans to grow to upwards of six game teams.

"Oklahoma City Community College is known for providing students with opportunities, and our eSports team is another example,” said Thompson. “Through eSports, students can compete nationally at something they love and have opportunities to earn scholarships by playing video games. Daniel is a prime example of that – he’s earning his associate degree in computer science while doing something he loves to do, and it also helps him pay for school." 

The OCCC eSports program competes nationally in the National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC) and Oklahoma Association of College Esports (OACE). 

“It’s just fun meeting other people that like gaming,” Harrison said. “Since I already game, I figured I might as well join the team and play for OCCC.”

About Oklahoma City Community College

Since its inception in 1972, Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) has been the heartbeat of the Metro, dedicated to empowering learners and strengthening communities. Serving more than 18,000 students, we are committed to producing leaders. “Student Success, Community Enrichment” is our mission, and we offer more than 87 degree and certificate programs that provide a foundation for further education or immediate career readiness. We remain dedicated to providing accessible, affordable, high-quality education that equips students to achieve personal and professional goals. OCCC is more than an institution; we are a community catalyst, fostering growth and success in our city, our workforce, and the lives of our students. Discover your potential at OCCC, where your future is our purpose. Visit us at occc.edu.