National Collegiate Athletic Association

Latest News

« back to 2011 | Back to NCAA News Archive Index

Mount Union athletic training director honored 
at campus service

By Marta Lawrence
NCAA.org

Snow angels welcomed mourners late Wednesday to a Mount Union campus service for Dan Gorman, director of athletic training and associate professor of human performance and sport business.

Created by members of the wrestling team and other students, the angels were a tribute to Gorman, who was killed when a bus carrying him, the wrestling team, coaches, statisticians, an athletic trainer and athletic training students collided with a snowplow while returning to campus after a match at Ohio Northern on Tuesday.

Hundreds attended the two-hour service led by the campus chaplain, who encouraged student-athletes, faculty and members of the university community to share their own stories of Gorman. He had worked at Mount Union for 25 years.

“One of the greatest attributes of a small, tight-knit campus community like Mount Union’s is our ability to join together in times of grief to share memories and offer support to one another,” Dr. Patricia Draves, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the university, wrote in an e-mail to students, faculty, staff and alumni.

“As director of athletic training and as an associate professor, Dan worked to positively impact the lives of many students and student-athletes at Mount Union for 25 years,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said in a statement issued from the NCAA Convention in San Antonio. “On behalf of the entire NCAA membership, I want to express my deepest sympathies for this tragic loss.”

Other tributes were offered on the Mount Union Facebook page.

“Thank you for helping so many people, Mr. Gorman,” Jennifer J. Reed wrote on the social networking site. “You were a super athletic trainer and all-around nice person. You will be missed.”

“A better mentor could not have been found,” wrote Rhonda Boyko. “Future athletic training students are going to miss being taught about life as an ATC by one of the most positive athletic trainers I have ever met. Sadly, the world inside and outside of sports will never be the same. My heart goes out to the Gorman family and the entire MUC community, past, present, and future.”

A public visitation and formal funeral service will be conducted on campus this weekend for Gorman, 52. He is survived by his wife Gigi and four children.

Condolences and memories may be shared on Mount Union’s Facebook page, sent to information@mountunion.edu or mailed to the Office of Academic Affairs, University of Mount Union, 1972 Clark Ave., Alliance, OH 44601.

Officials at Mount Union plan to share all communications with the Gorman family.