Alumni Spotlight: Brett Makar

In this Alumni Spotlight, we caught up with the Class of 2018’s Brett Makar. During his time at Yorktown, Brett excelled in lacrosse, twice being named an All-American. He also shined on the football field, receiving All-State honors as the Huskers won their first section title in two decades.

Brett continued his lacrosse journey at the University of Maryland, racking up even more accolades while helping to lead the Terrapins to a national title in 2022. Brett was twice named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and was named a first team All-American. He also excelled academically, earning Academic All-Big Ten honors on three occasions.

Last week, Brett was selected third overall in the Premier Lacrosse League’s annual college draft, paving the way for a professional lacrosse career. Currently, Brett is pursuing a master's degree in business management from Maryland.

We had the privilege of interviewing Brett to learn more about his incredible accomplishments and aspirations.

How did your time at Yorktown shape your love for lacrosse?

At Yorktown, the coaches and players I looked up to as a kid always emphasized playing a free-flowing, fun, and team-oriented game. Lacrosse (and sports as a whole) have always been my outlet, an opportunity to relax and compete. The same reasons I fell in love with the game at Yorktown are why I still play today. Playing has never felt like a chore, and practice has never been a burden. I think many people who play so much throughout the calendar year get burnt out. However, this never happened for me because it was permanently engrained in my brain just to be loose and enjoy playing the game in its most natural form. I have my friends, brothers, coaches, and teammates I grew up playing for/with to thank for this mindset.

To date, what has been your most memorable moment playing lacrosse?

I am incredibly fortunate to say it is difficult to pick just one moment. Some moments that stand out In terms of high school, I'll never forget all of the Murphy Cup wins; those were always special because I would watch the game every year and wanted that experience so bad as a kid. Our win in 2016 vs. Shoreham Wading River was also super special (I'll never forget how happy I was to share that moment with my older brother Tyler), and our OT win vs. Garden City in the 2017 state semi-finals at SUNY Albany. At Maryland, last year's National Championship win was unbelievable, and this year's OT win vs. Virginia at Klockner Stadium is memorable.

What were your emotions when you found out you were drafted third overall in the Premier Lacrosse League?

Super elated and gratified. I have so many people to thank that have helped me (more than they know) along the way, it has been quite a process to get to this point, and it really does take a village. I was unsure what to expect going into the draft, but I had previous discussions with Atlas Coach Mike Pressler. After hearing some fantastic things about Coach Pressler and having those discussions before the draft on the phone, I knew that was the situation I wanted to be in. Having 6-7 of my closest Maryland teammates there to support me was also super cool.

What advice would you give to current Yorktown lacrosse players who aspire to play at the collegiate or professional level?

Never stop enjoying the game, and always be where your feet are. Results do not come overnight, fall in love with the process of getting better, always continue to set new goals for yourself, and never let anyone discourage you from achieving these goals.