The Robert Morris hockey family is grieving, as former associate head coach Mark Workman succumbed to cancer on Wednesday at home in Minnesota. He was 47.
Workman was a coach at Robert Morris from 2009 to 2016. He started his Colonials tenure as an assistant coach, primarily working with the defense. In 2013 he was elevated to the title of associate head coach, and in the three years to follow led the Colonials to the Atlantic Hockey championships three times , including two Atlantic Hockey final appearances and an NCAA Tournament berth in 2014.
Workman played four years for Division-III St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota, where he served as the teams captain in his senior year. After finishing his playing career he moved into the coaching ranks for the Saints, first serving as an assistant coach for two seasons before being elevated to head coach in 1995, a position Workman held until 2001.
After two seasons as a volunteer assistant at Minnesota-Duluth, Workman moved into an assistant role under Roger Grillo at Brown, and in his first season helped lead the Bears to an Ivy League championship.
He then coached at in Providence until joining Derek Schooley’s staff in 2009.
In 2016, Workman accepted a position as a scout with the expansion Vegas Golden Knights, a position he held until his death.
Workman reached not only the players that he touched as a coach, but the hockey community far and wide.
We are heartbroken to hear the news of Mark Workman’s passing.
Mark was loved by all at Robert Morris. Mark was one of the good guys in the hockey world and effected so many student athletes in a positive way. #ripworky https://t.co/rC90Yp65Gt— Derek Schooley (@derekschooley) February 14, 2018
It is with a heavy heart that we share the passing of former Saints player and Head Coach Mark Workman Our thoughts and prayers are with his family
— mark wick (@coachwickCSS) February 14, 2018
God added a Right Shot Dman today – Thoughts and Prayers out to Mark Workman’s family and friends
— Jason Lammers (@CoachLammers) February 14, 2018
He was one of the good guys. He was always available for me as a young coach to bang ideas off of. Will miss his texts of support for our team and myself. RIP Worky https://t.co/eFLfrdyXD8
— Logan Bittle (@LBittle8) February 14, 2018
If @derekschooley used one hand to name the five people most critical to @RMUMHockey‘s success over the program’s lifetime, then he might identify @worky05 as the thumb on that hand.
When you see what Mark did at RMU alone, you understand why he made it to the NHL as a scout. https://t.co/VrI8uRQDpm
— Nikolai Busko (@NikolaiBusko) February 14, 2018
EDITOR’S NOTE: From all of us at Pittsburgh Hockey Digest, we would like to send our thoughts, prayers and condolences to the family of Mark Workman, as well as the Colonials community as a whole. “Worky” will be dearly missed.
