College Volleyball Player Amanda Mack Dies at 20 After Rare Blood Disorder Diagnosis

Amanda Mack, a 20-year-old college volleyball player, has died after a sudden and devastating battle with severe aplastic anemia, a rare blood disorder that severely affects the bone marrow’s ability to produce blood cells.

Mack died on September 16, 2026, at the age of 20, according to her family and a tribute from the College of the Holy Cross women’s volleyball program. Her family announced her death the following day, describing Amanda as a bright light whose loss would be deeply felt by everyone who knew her.

Mack had transferred to Holy Cross in 2026 after previously playing college volleyball at the University of Cincinnati and Eastern Kentucky University. Holy Cross listed her as a 6-foot-1-inch outside hitter and junior on its 2026 roster. The school said she enrolled during the summer but was unable to join the team on campus when the season began because of her illness.

Her health crisis began only months earlier. In July, Mack publicly revealed that she had become seriously ill after experiencing a severe headache and later passing out. She said her hemoglobin level had fallen to 4 and her platelet count to 1, leaving her in critical condition and requiring blood and platelet transfusions.

Doctors initially suspected leukemia. However, after two bone marrow biopsies, Mack said physicians determined that she had severe aplastic anemia, a rare condition in which the bone marrow fails to produce enough blood cells. She also described undergoing emergency procedures because of complications from the illness.

Despite the seriousness of her diagnosis, Mack remained hopeful about her recovery. She underwent immunosuppressive therapy and shared an update on August 14 saying that she had completed the treatment with minimal adverse reactions. At the time, she was waiting for her body to recover and hoped to return home to begin physical therapy.

Her death came just weeks after that hopeful update.

Holy Cross Athletics said Mack had been excited to put on the Holy Cross jersey and contribute to the program. Volleyball head coach Matthew Cribbin remembered her enthusiasm, passion and determination, saying the team would carry her in its hearts and play to honor her.

Mack had already built an impressive volleyball résumé before arriving at Holy Cross. At Eastern Kentucky, she appeared in 29 matches and made 26 starts during the 2025 season, recording 204 kills, 57 digs and 26 blocks. Before college, she became the first volleyball player in Maryville High School history to reach 1,000 career kills.

Her death has left her family, former teammates and the Holy Cross community mourning a young athlete whose college career was just beginning. The school held moments of remembrance for Mack during its volleyball and football events and said campus support services were available to students and staff grieving her loss.

Source: The Sun