By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net    

IT has been a roller coaster ride for the versatile Elana Mackey, but the multi-talented student-athlete indicated that she’s just glad that her tenure at Mars Hill University is now completed.

As a star member of the Lions ladies’ tennis team, Mackey also made her contribution on both the cross country and track and field teams before she left her mark on December 13, graduating with her bachelor of science degree in health and human performances.

Ending her final semester with a 4.0 grade point average as she took time off from competing in sports, Mackey said she’s glad that her tenure is behind her and she’s even more excited about her future and the prospects of returning to the tennis court in the new year.

“It feels great,” said Mackey about her commencement exercise on the campus of the private, four-year liberal arts institution located in the mountains of western North Carolina. “I’m just happy that I was able to graduate and get back home.”

Here at home since December 23, Mackey said she should have finished in May, but she had to do an internship that delayed her commencement ceremony until December. It worked in her favour because she produced her outstanding completion in the classroom at MHU.

“I’m trying to look for a job because I got my approval for my master’s degree in physician assistant, so I will be heading back in January,” Mackey said. “Everywhere that I applied, they wanted someone with experience, but it’s difficult for me to get any experience if I just graduated.”

The 22-year-old graduate of the Nassau Christian Academy School went on to Mars Hill where he ended up playing at the top spot for the Lions over the last two years. In the process, she earned third team all conference singles in 2023. 

“It was like a roller coaster ride. It was good,” Mackey said. “I would do it all over again, but just with tennis and not with cross country and track and all those other sports.

“But I enjoyed my experience, especially in the classroom. The professors were good and the classes were great. I had a good experience over there. I liked it,” she stated. “And I felt I got a lot more competition over there playing college tennis than I did when I was playing here. I felt playing against so many different people helped me to improve my game.”

In completing her tenure at Mars Hill, Mackey missed the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s 2025 Giorgio Baldacci National Tennis Tournament two weeks ago. But she indicated that she’s infored the BLTA that she hopes to be available for the final trials for the final selection for the Billie Jean King Cup. She’s eager to play on her third team, having participated in 2022 and 2023.

“I’m going to try and play a few Futures Tournament in Florida when I get back in shape, although that won’t be before April,” she insisted. “I have to get back in shape because I start playing again and hopefully that will help me to get ready for the final trials for the Billie Jean King Cup.

“I have to start all over from scratch because I haven’t played in about 4-5 months. So I’m going to try and train in Florida while I go job hunting. I’ve been looking for a job since October. But I’m looking at trying to get a job when I go back on January 6.”

Since returning home, Mackey said she’s pertaining to being a “tourist,” literally going everywhere including going to junkanoo, but she’s also spending a lot of time taking care of some special chores at home for her parents.

Mackey thanked her parents, Patrick and Ella Mackey, her local coaches Michael Andrews and Vince Andrews and God for giving her the ability to perform.

She hopes to pass on her experience to her younger brother, Patrick Mackey Jr, who is still at NCA, and who is currently developing his game as a tennis player. Eventually, Mackey said she would love to see him compete at the collegiate level as well.