Holy Cross Mourns the Loss of Volleyball Recruit Amanda Mack

The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, is mourning the loss of Amanda Mack, a 20-year-old volleyball player who had been recruited to join the women's team. Mack, who was from Bradenton, Florida, died on Wednesday after being diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia, a rare and serious blood disorder. Her parents shared the sad news on her Instagram page the following day. She never got the chance to play a single game for Holy Cross.

Amanda Mack had a strong volleyball career before coming to Holy Cross. She had played at Eastern Kentucky University the year before and was known as a standout athlete. Holy Cross competes in a college sports conference called the Patriot League, and the team was excited to have her join them. Even though she had enrolled at the school, her illness kept her from being able to come to campus and practice with her teammates.

Her coach, Matthew Cribbin, said the team is heartbroken by the news. He stated that losing a member of the volleyball family is devastating and that Amanda will be missed very much. He added that she had been so excited to wear the Holy Cross jersey and help build something special in the program. He also praised her strength, saying her battle was enormous and that she never wavered.

Mack first shared news of her illness in July on Instagram. She wrote that she had been in the ICU and had already gone through two emergency surgeries. She was scheduled to receive a bone marrow transplant on August 11, a medical procedure that replaces damaged blood cells with healthy ones. Her posts showed a young woman who was fighting hard and staying hopeful.

Just days later, on August 14, Mack posted an update that gave her followers reason to feel hopeful. She said she had finished a treatment called immunosuppressive therapy, which helps stop the body from attacking its own blood cells. She reported only minor side effects and said she was looking forward to going home and starting physical therapy. Her message was full of energy and excitement about healing.

Amanda was also a highly celebrated high school athlete before her college career began. She earned the Under Armour Next MVP award twice and was named a Region MVP in 2021. She also won the District MVP award in both 2021 and 2022, and was nominated for the USA Today High School Sports Player of the Year in 2022. These honors showed just how talented and dedicated she was on and off the court.

A GoFundMe page was created by her volleyball recruiter, Kara Hill, to help cover Amanda's enormous medical bills, which totaled around $5 million. The page said all donations would go toward costs not paid by insurance, along with funeral expenses. The page described her as a loving daughter, friend, and teammate who lit up every room she walked into. It also said she beamed with positivity and was deeply passionate about life.

Holy Cross has made sure that students and staff know help is available during this hard time. The school pointed people toward the Office of the College Chaplains, Counseling and Psychological Services, and the Employee Assistance Program. These resources are there for anyone who is struggling with grief or sadness after losing someone. Coach Cribbin spoke for the whole team when he said they will carry Amanda in their hearts and play to honor her every day.