By John Brice
Special Contributor
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Before the first visit, before the official visit, and before she fell in love with Notre Dame, Olivia Markezich had a sweatshirt and memories.
Growing up in Woodinville, Washington, snuggled just north of Seattle and near Puget Sound, Markezich and her twin sister, Andrea, had the stories of her father’s own turn at Notre Dame. Dan Markezich was the school’s record-holder in the 10k for some two decades – but until junior year of high school, she had never made the 2,100-mile cross-country trek.
“He definitely talked a lot about his college stories, but he also always wanted this to be my decision,” Olivia Markezich said. “My whole life, I always thought Notre Dame was a great place, and Dad talked so highly of it.
“I was the kid who wore a Notre Dame sweatshirt all the time. It was the favorite sweatshirt that I wore. Even before I visited, I just always knew it was a great place, great academics, athletics, a great community.”
Today, Olivia Markezich can replace her childhood Fighting Irish wardrobe with her own Notre Dame Monogram jacket; wear a national championship model, should she choose to do so.
Some five years after initially visiting Notre Dame’s bucolic campus with father and sister the weekend of the primetime, nationally televised 2018 Michigan-Notre Dame football clash, Olivia Markezich is a school record-holder, the 2023 NCAA Steeplechase Champion and en route to a burgeoning professional career.
Far cry from that 17-year-old who showed up on a September weekend, ran with the Irish’s team at that time and dreamed of perhaps the opportunity to become … an Irish runner.
“It’s been a really unique development, honestly,” said Notre Dame Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Matt Sparks, almost a decade into his tenure in South Bend. “Traditionally our Notre Dame kids have come in as what you would call a five-star high school recruit, but Olivia was a walk-on. She’s a legacy kid, her dad was the school recorder holder in the 10k for 20 years, so honestly, I was more familiar with her dad than her.
“As she’ll tell you as well, she was just excited to be part of the team.”
Hopes and dreams, however, did not betray Olivia’s golden-hued vision; she still visited Washington, Portland, Cornell and held ongoing recruiting discussions with Baylor and Cal-Berkeley before she ever formally pledged to the Irish.
A rash decision wasn’t…