Husker incoming freshman Alexis Markowski was named the Nebraska Gatorade State High School Girls Basketball Player of the Year after averaging 23.3 points, 13 rebounds and two blocked shots per game in 2020-21.
The 6-3 center/forward out of Lincoln Pius X led the Thunderbolts to a second straight Class A state championship in 2021. She was also named the MaxPreps Nebraska Player of the Year after averaging 23.7 points and 19.3 rebounds in three state tournament wins for the Bolts. Lincoln Pius X finished 25-0 and was ranked in the MaxPreps final national top 25.
Markowski scored 30 or more points on four occasions as a senior, including a career-high and Pius X school-record 42 points in a win over Fremont on Jan. 2, 2021. She was also the state’s most dominant rebounder, racking up 16 double-doubles and pulling down 20 or more boards on four occasions. In Pius X’s Class A state semifinal win over Omaha Central, Markowski carried the Thunderbolts with 30 points and a season-high 27 rebounds in a 47-38 win. She added 27 points and 19 rebounds in a state championship game victory over Fremont the next day.
Also regarded as the top player in Nebraska’s largest class in 2019-20 after averaging 21.5 points and 12.1 rebounds per game as a junior, Markowski tied the Nebraska Class A State Tournament scoring record with 80 points over three games to lead Lincoln Pius X to the 2020 state championship. Her performance earned her a second straight appearance on the Class A All-Tournament team, and she was also named the honorary captain of the Omaha World-Herald All-Nebraska and Lincoln Journal Star Super-State teams.
Markowski finished her career with school records of 1,484 and 867 rebounds over 76 varsity games (19.5 ppg, 11.4 rpg). She missed her entire freshman season (2017-18) with a foot injury. The previous Pius X career scoring record was held by former Husker Maddie Simon.
Markowski set the Lincoln Pius X single-season scoring record with 560 points as a junior, smashing the previous mark (474) held by Simon. Markowski then broke her own record with 582 points as a senior, while adding a school-record 325 rebounds, breaking her previous mark of 315 set in 2019-20.
As a junior, Markowski tied the Class A tournament scoring record with 80 points over three games, matching Nebraska Athletics Hall of Famer Maurtice Ivy’s record. Markowski added 71 points and a whopping 58 rebounds (23.7 ppp, 19.3 rpg) as a senior in the 2021 state tournament.
