Mackenzie Holmes Video Tribute
We took some of Mackenzie Holmes' most memorable moments as a Hoosier, plus some of her most memorable quotes about being a Hoosier, and created a highlight video to celebrate her incredible career.
You may have heard me make this comparison before …
My favorite personal era of Indiana basketball spans from 1989-1993 — encompassing Jay Edwards’ incredible sophomore season through Calbert Cheaney’s senior year.
No, the Hoosiers didn’t win a national title during that span — thanks to Ted Valentine and the unfortunate injury to Alan Henderson’s knee — but we did see several Big Ten titles, a few deep tournament runs, the crowning of a new all-time leading scorer, and more.
Plus, that’s when I was ages 8-12, which is the time when your sports heroes feel like superheroes. Those guys still feel like superheroes to me.
And while I figured that group would always hold a special place in my heart, I never expected so many eras of IU men’s basketball to feel so distant from those teams in terms of success and ethos. But if you’ve been around for the ensuing 31 seasons, you know that has unfortunately been the case outside of a few special seasons and groups of players.
But that doesn’t mean Indiana basketball hasn’t delivered similar feelings watching a team. It’s just been on the women’s side instead of the men’s side.
Because starting about five seasons ago, when Indiana went 24-8 (13-5) and finished the season ranked for the first time under Teri Moren (there was no NCAA Tournament due to COVID), the Indiana women’s basketball program has given me a lot of those same vibes.
Not coincidentally, Mackenzie Holmes arrived on campus five seasons ago, joining Grace Berger, Ali Patberg, and others to build the foundation for the best five-year stretch in the history of the women’s program.
Mackenzie graduated last season, leaving IU as our all-time leading scorer. She helped deliver an outright Big Ten title, an Elite 8 appearance, two other Sweet 16 appearances, and numerous big moments in big spots for a team that truly played like a team.
That’s why her group of Hoosiers reminded me so much of those early-90s Hoosiers I grew up with. They were immensely talented and skilled, with lineups filled by some of the best players in school history, but they were also well-coached and played with a toughness and togetherness that was impossible to not fall in love with. Watching them was a joy, and that’s why it was so sad when the book finally closed on Mackenzie’s career with the loss to South Carolina.
Chloe, Sydney, and Yarden are still here to carry the torch. And Teri Moren has proven what a consistent and capable coach she is. This program will continue to thrive. Who knows, maybe it’s best days are still ahead of it. I certainly don’t rule it out.
But no matter what happens from here, there will always be something special about the Mackenzie Holmes Era of Indiana basketball, just as there remains something so special about the Calbert Cheaney Era of Indiana basketball. I know it’s true because all you, or I, or any other long-time Indiana fan has to do is read those words and immediately wonderful images of beautiful basketball are conjured up in our minds. :)
And here is something else that makes Mackenzie Holmes, in particular, such a wonderful ambassador of this era of IU basketball …
I cannot remember any other Hoosier in any other sport be as vocal and descriptive about how much being a Hoosier meant to her. You’d think she grew up in Indiana, but of course she didn’t. She’s from Maine. But it doesn’t matter.
Mackenzie Holmes is as much of a Hoosier as any in-state player has ever been. She truly understood what it meant to wear the Cream and Crimson and lay it all on the line in front of “the best fans in the country.” I’ll never forget the image of her up in the stands with fans celebrating. It was a microcosm of that entire era of IU basketball: joy, appreciation, toughness, and a whole lot of winning.
I’ve thought a lot about that since her final game.
I’ve thought a lot about how much she will be missed, not just as a player but as a leader. Coach Moren is great enough to find ways to replace Mackenzie and still win games. But you can’t ever truly replace someone like Mackenzie in terms of her spirit, her will, and her appreciation for the opportunity to be a Hoosier.
So because of all that, we wanted to do something to honor her. That’s why we created the video below.
I had a small hand in it by taking some of Mackenzie’s most memorable quotes about being a Hoosier — some from the South Carolina press conference and some from the Oklahoma press conference — and then using an AI music program to turn them into a song. It’s not the most polished music in the world, but I think it at least captures the spirit and emotion of Mackenzie’s words.
Then we hired a video editor, Zach Zubulake from ZZ Creates, based on the recommendation of one of our community members. He stiched together some of the best highlights from Mackenzie’s career to create a 4-minute tribute that should be a fun trip down memory lane for any IU basketball supporter.
We hope you like it.
If you want to share this video, please feel free! Here are links to it on a few different social channels:
Note: we didn’t create this to monetize it or make any money of it. We just wanted to find a way to thank Mackenzie for her five years of incredible play and leadership. Any money we do make will be donated to IU women’s basketball NIL. And we encourage you to do the same via our friends at Hoosiers Connect.
Thanks for checking it out!
Damit. You brought a tear to my eye.