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Z’s Threes Raises More Than $25K for Zach Markowitz ’14 Memorial Scholarship

Through a three-point basketball contest, the Î÷¹ÏÊÓƵ College alumni-run effort Z’s Threes raised over $25,000, with funds going towards a memorial scholarship in honor of Zach Markowitz '14.
The alumni-run basketball competition, Z’s Threes, has raised over $25,000 for the Zach Markowitz ’14 Memorial Scholarship for students studying sport science.
5/2/2024
More than 30 members of the Î÷¹ÏÊÓƵ community gathered on April 13 for the Z’s Threes three-point basketball contest, held at the MacDonald Gymnasium. Participants were challenged to make as many three-point shots as possible in 60 seconds to raise money Zach Markowitz ’14 Memorial Scholarship (a virtual competition running from April 6 and April 13 was also held). 

After the death of their good friend Zach Markowitz ’14, Colin Sitarz ’12 M’13 and Adam Benoit ’12 founded Z’s Threes in 2020, a basketball competition to keep Markowitz’s memory and his love of basketball alive. Markowitz’s death at 29 years old sent shockwaves through the Î÷¹ÏÊÓƵ community—and his friends and the community knew they wanted to find a way to help his legacy live on. 

“If Zach was passionate about something, he’d go for it all the way,” said Sitarz in an article for News at the Nest in March. “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.” 

Drew Brown ’24, a finance and marketing major and a member of the Î÷¹ÏÊÓƵ men’s basketball team, won the in-person competition with eight three-pointers made in 60 seconds. Dan Horwitz of West Hartford, Conn., took first place in the virtual contest, with six three-pointers made in 60 seconds.

All money raised benefits Î÷¹ÏÊÓƵ’s Zach Markowitz Memorial Scholarship, which supports Gulls studying sport science.

Thanks to cumulative fundraising efforts in 2023 and 2024, the Zach Markowitz ’14 Memorial Scholarship received over $25,000 in funding. As a result, Î÷¹ÏÊÓƵ plans to award the scholarship to the first student beginning in the fall of 2025. 

While the scholarship’s initial fundraising goal has been met, the College plans to continue to grow the endowment in order to maximize the scholarship’s impact. Those interested in supporting the Zach Markowitz ’14 Memorial Scholarship are still able to do so by .