Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees

Dr. Jennifer Cichon Mackinnon ’89 was inducted into the Academy of the Holy Names Athletics Hall of Fame at the Spring Sports Banquet. Mackinnon was a stand-out athlete on the tennis court, playing No. 1 in singles and doubles all four years of high school. She was named Tampa Tribune Player of the Year in 1989, serving as captain and MVP for AHN her senior year. One of her nominators, Sister Mary Patricia Plumb, SNJM ’55, stated, “Jennifer deserves this honor because she was an outstanding tennis player, who was also a remarkable scholar and also played the harp!”

Tu Mai Tran ’93 was inducted into the Academy of the Holy Names Athletics Hall of Fame at the Spring Sports Banquet. At a young age, Mai quickly became a tennis star and was ranked top 10 nationally in singles and doubles by the time she was a preteen. During her freshman, sophomore and junior years at the Academy, Mai played No. 1 singles and doubles, helped her team win the Class 2A district championship for three consecutive years and was selected MVP on the team. In her junior year, she was undefeated with a 12-0 record, winning the individual singles and doubles titles at districts. In the words of her nominator, Sister Mary Patricia Plumb, SNJM ’55, “Tu led the Academy’s team for three years and was the force behind our success and trips to state finals during her time with us.”

Catriana Messina ’07 was inducted into the Academy of the Holy Names Athletics Hall of Fame at the Winter Sports Banquet. Messina was a leader on the basketball court during one of the most successful four-year runs in AHN basketball history, which included two state final four appearances. While she scored 1,686 points in her career, she had a passion for passing as she led the county in assists her junior and senior years. She joins her twin sister, Gianna Messina ’07, as a member of the Athletics Hall of Fame. In the words of Catriana’s high school coach, Casey Higgins, “Catriana and sister Gianna are arguably the most accomplished set of twins in the history of the area’s high school athletic scene. Catriana is one of the best to ever wear an Academy of the Holy Names basketball uniform.”