Amanda Mack was only 20, but she had already become the first player in her school’s history to reach 1,000 career kills. After competing at Cincinnati and Eastern Kentucky, the talented outside hitter transferred to Holy Cross for her junior year and was preparing for a fresh start. Then, suddenly, her life took a turn when she became seriously ill, passed out, and was rushed to the hospital. After months of battling a rare illness and undergoing two emergency surgeries, Mack ultimately passed away on September 16.
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On September 17, heartbreaking news was shared through Mack’s Instagram account, confirming that the young athlete had died the previous night at 9:16 p.m. Her family wrote that Amanda Elizabeth Mack was “a bright light in this world” and would be “forever loved and missed.”
The news came only a few months after Mack had announced that she was facing a serious health battle. In July, she shared a photo from her hospital bed and opened up about how quickly everything had changed. Mack said she had woken up a few weeks earlier feeling unwell and had a severe headache. She could hear her heartbeat pounding in her head before she eventually passed out and went to the hospital.
Her condition was extremely serious. According to Mack’s account, her hemoglobin level was just 4 and her platelet count was 1. She said her body had depleted its blood supply and ability to clot, leaving her in critical condition. Doctors admitted her to the hospital and treated her with blood and platelet transfusions. After spending about a week in the hospital, Mack was transferred to Tampa General Cancer Institute.
Doctors initially considered leukemia, but after two bone marrow biopsies, she was diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia. Mack explained that her doctors believed a recent virus may have caused her immune system to attack her own bone marrow.
The diagnosis left Mack facing a difficult treatment process. She revealed that she had already undergone two emergency surgeries in one week. She said the surgeries were needed “to save my life.” She also explained that she essentially no longer had a functioning immune system, making infections particularly dangerous. Doctors then began preparing Mack for a bone marrow transplant.
She said a donor had been identified and appeared to be a full match. She was scheduled to be admitted to Tampa General on August 11 for the transplant process. According to Mack’s account, the planned treatment included six rounds of chemotherapy, one round of full-body radiation and then the bone marrow transplant
And then on August 14, Mack shared another update saying she had completed her immunosuppressive therapy and had come through the treatment with minimal adverse reactions. But that hopeful update became one of her final public messages about her health. About a month later, Mack’s family announced her death.
Interestingly, before her illness, Mack had been preparing for a new chapter in volleyball.
Amanda Mack’s promising volleyball career cut short
Mack began her college career at Cincinnati in 2024 before transferring to Eastern Kentucky. Her sophomore season was an important step in her development. She appeared in 29 matches, made 26 starts and recorded 204 kills, 57 digs and 26 total blocks. She also posted a career-high 16 kills against Cincinnati in September 2025.
In May 2026, Mack announced that she would continue her academic and athletic career at Holy Cross. She was recruited as a junior transfer and had been expected to compete for the program during the 2026 season.
Now, the Holy Cross volleyball community is left mourning a player who had been so excited about the next stage of her career.
“Losing a member of our HCVB family is devastating, and Amanda will be missed immensely,” Head coach Matthew Cribbin, “Our hearts go out to her family at this unimaginable time. She had so much enthusiasm and passion, and she worked so hard to achieve incredible things in her life. She was so excited to put on the Holy Cross jersey and help create something memorable in our program. Her battle was enormous, and she never wavered, always looking forward to being back with her team. We carry her in our hearts and will play to honor her every day.”
Mack never got the chance to take the court in a Holy Cross jersey, but her presence has already left a lasting mark on the program.