Three-Pointers for a Purpose
Zach Markowitz ’14 may have played on the Endicott basketball team for a single year, but his impact on the College’s athletic program—and Endicott itself—far transcends the time he spent at center court.
After completing his freshman year as a player, Markowitz, who tragically died in 2019, pivoted his focus to become his teammates’ strength and conditioning coach. But if you ask those who knew him what his position really was, you’ll hear things like motivator, mentor, moral support, role model—and the team’s heart and soul.
“What resonates with me about Zach is he embraced the servant-leadership mentality and was so selfless in wanting to help others,” said Endicott’s Assistant Vice President and Director of Athletics Brian Wylie. “If somebody was having a bad day and wanted to talk to someone, or needed to get more reps in the weight room or help a teammate work on shooting, Zach would drop everything to help them. That’s what he was all about.”
Markowitz was awarded Endicott’s Athletic Training Student of the Year Award in 2014 and, according to Wylie, he asked to share his story with the Athletics Department during a staff meeting.
“It was one of the most powerful meetings we’ve ever had,” said Wylie. “He challenged us as coaches and administrators to be our absolute best every day. His message was so genuine and powerful that it emotionally moved everyone in the room.”
Colin Sitarz ’12 M’13, who grew up alongside Markowitz in West Hartford, Conn., and who was later his Endicott roommate, agreed that Markowitz was someone special.
“If Zach was passionate about something, he’d go for it all the way,” said Sitarz. “That’s how he lived all facets of his life. I was drawn to him by how authentic and resolute he was. A lot of people appreciated that about him.”
Markowitz’s death at 29 years old sent shockwaves through the Endicott community—and his friends and the community knew they wanted to find a way to help his legacy live on.
The result: Z’s Threes, a virtual, three-point basketball shooting competition. All money raised benefits Endicott’s Zach Markowitz Memorial Scholarship, which supports Gulls studying sport science.
“Colin and I brainstormed some ideas, and we asked ourselves, ‘What would Zach have liked?’ said Adam Benoit ’12, another Endicott friend. “We wanted to do something anyone could participate in, whether they were good at basketball or not. I think Zach would have had a lot of fun doing this.”
After graduation from Endicott, Markowitz didn’t slow down. An avid basketball fan, he parlayed his Endicott athletic training degree, as well as a master’s degree from Boston University, into achieving his lifelong dream of joining the NBA. He launched his career with the Atlanta Hawks as the team’s assistant athletic performance coach, followed by a position at the Boston Celtics, where he served as a rehab and performance coordinator.
“Zach was always super dedicated to his career and what he wanted to be,” said Benoit. “I haven’t met many people like Zach, who was so passionate about what he wanted to do. Everything he did had a purpose.”
The rules of the competition, which began in 2020, are simple: Participants film themselves making as many three-point shots as possible in 60 seconds. The highest scorer is awarded the coveted Khaleesi Cup, a nod to Markowitz’s beloved black lab, Khaleesi. To date, more than 170 people have participated in the competition, raising more than $30,000.
“Some people share a message at the beginning of their videos,” said Sitarz. “Zach’s family loves hearing them, and they just show how much of an impact Zach made.”
Added Benoit: “Zach made such incredibly strong relationships wherever he went, so there are a lot of people who wanted to support him in this way. There are even people who’ve participated who never met Zach, which is amazing. It just shows how special he was and how much his memory is still alive.”
According to Wylie, even after nearly five years since his death, Markowitz is never far from the minds of the members of the Endicott community who knew and loved him.
“Zach was such a driven and courageous person,” said Wylie. “We miss him every day.”
This year’s Z’s Threes Fundraiser for the Zach Markowitz ’14 Memorial Scholarship at Endicott College will take place on Saturday, April 13, 2024, at Endicott College. From 4 to 6 p.m. a three-point contest will take place at the MacDonald Gymnasium, Post Center; and from 6 to 8 p.m., join us for a gathering at Gully’s. Click here to register for the event and/or donate to the scholarship fund.
Those interested in supporting the Zach Markowitz ’14 Memorial Scholarship can also click here or contact Alex Kassl.
Photo caption: (left to right) Adam Benoit ’12, Colin Sitarz ’12 M’13, and Michael Nich ’12 M’13