The college athlete died months after revealing a diagnosis of severe aplastic anemia, a rare and serious bone marrow disorder.
WORCESTER, Mass. — Holy Cross volleyball player Amanda Mack has died at age 20 following an illness, the college announced, months after the Division I athlete publicly disclosed that she had been diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia.
Mack died Wednesday, Sept. 16, according to a message posted through her Instagram account and a tribute released Friday by Holy Cross Athletics. The college said Mack had enrolled at Holy Cross during the summer after being recruited to the volleyball program but was unable to join her teammates on campus at the start of the academic year because of her illness. Her family and the college have not publicly released a more specific medical cause of death.
Mack disclosed her diagnosis in July, describing how a sudden illness had led to hospitalization. She wrote that she had awakened feeling unwell, later lost consciousness and was taken to a hospital, where tests showed extremely low hemoglobin and platelet levels. Doctors initially considered leukemia as a possibility, she said, before bone marrow biopsies led to a diagnosis of severe aplastic anemia.
Aplastic anemia is a rare but serious disorder in which the bone marrow cannot make enough new blood cells for the body to function normally, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Damage to blood-forming stem cells can reduce red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets, creating risks that can include anemia, infection and bleeding. The institute says treatment can include blood transfusions, medicines that suppress the immune system and, in some cases, blood and bone marrow transplants.
Mack wrote during the summer that doctors believed her immune system had begun attacking her bone marrow. In an Aug. 14 update, she said she had completed immunosuppressive therapy and was waiting to see whether her immune system and bone marrow would recover. She expressed hope at the time that she would soon be able to leave the hospital and begin physical therapy. Publicly available reports do not establish what complications occurred between that update and her death.
Mack had transferred to Holy Cross after spending the 2025 season at Eastern Kentucky University. She appeared in 29 matches for the Colonels, starting 26 and playing 98 sets. She totaled 204 kills during the season and recorded a career-high 16 kills against Cincinnati, the school she had attended as a freshman. Eastern Kentucky also listed her on its Atlantic Sun Conference Honor Roll.
Before college, Mack developed into a highly regarded outside hitter. She played at Maryville High School in Tennessee before moving to Bradenton, Florida, for her senior year to join IMG Academy’s inaugural volleyball program. Holy Cross listed her as a two-time Under Armour Next MVP, an AAU Open All-American and a 2022 nominee for USA Today’s High School Sports Player of the Year. She also became the first player in Maryville program history to reach 1,000 career kills.
Holy Cross announced Mack as one of the additions to its 2026 roster in July. Head coach Matthew Cribbin said at the time that she brought Division I experience along with leadership and versatility. In the college’s tribute after her death, Cribbin said Mack had remained focused on returning to her teammates despite the seriousness of her illness.
“Losing a member of our HCVB family is devastating, and Amanda will be missed immensely,” Cribbin said. He said Mack had shown enthusiasm and passion for the sport and had been excited to wear a Holy Cross uniform. “We carry her in our hearts and will play to honor her every day.”
Holy Cross said it planned moments of silence in Mack’s honor before volleyball matches against American on Friday and Navy on Saturday, as well as before Saturday’s football game. The college also scheduled a memorial remembrance during Mass at St. Joseph Memorial Chapel on Monday, Sept. 21. Mack’s family, teammates and coaches continued to receive tributes following the announcement of her death.
Author note: Last updated September 19, 2026.