Mark Cooke, Big South Conference legend and former Winthrop softball coach, has died
Former Winthrop volleyball and softball Marvin “Mark” Cooke has died at age 69.
As Winthrop’s softball coach, Cooke won 767 games, the most ever by any Big South Conference coach.
Cooke began his coaching career at the University of South Carolina-Spartanburg (now USC Upstate) and became Winthrop’s head volleyball and softball coach in December 1989.
He turned his attention fully to softball in 1996.
Cooke won four Big South regular season championships and four Big South Tournament titles. He also was named conference Coach of the Year several times and has coached over 100 players selected as All-Big South.
Cooke also was one of five Big South coaches with multiple NCAA Tournament appearances.
“Mark grew in a time when Winthrop athletics was growing,” current Athletic Director Chuck Rey said earlier this week. “He was one of a pillar of coaches here that were great coaches.”
Cooke’s legacy has made a huge impact on Winthrop athletics.
However, it’s the person that Cooke was that made a huge impact on the people around him.
“(Mark was an) exceptional human being,” Rey said. “He was a better person than he was a coach. Somebody who looked after everybody. Didn’t matter what department you were in, didn’t matter if you were in athletics, didn’t matter if you were a student or student-athlete. His heart was gold, and he looked after people for the best of their interests, which was really cool about him.
“His influence on me as being a mentor and being not just a great coach but a great person is really important to me. He helped me to have some understanding of balance in life. Understanding what the priorities in life are.”
Cooke retired from Winthrop in 2018 and was inducted into Winthrop University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019.
He then came out of retirement and took on the softball head coaching job at Legion Collegiate High School in Rock Hill, where he led the program to the 2021 Class AA state title in its first eligible season.
“He told me from day one, ‘we’ll win a state championship in a year or two here,’” Legion Collegiate Athletic Director Rich Posipanko said. “He already knew who he had coming. He means everything to Legion.
“I am thankful for the fact that back in February, we were able to recognize him for winning the state championship.... I think it meant a lot to him, but it also meant a lot to me. He deserved that.”
Posipanko has known Cooke since they both took on coaching positions at Winthrop in the late 1980s.
When Posipanko had heart surgery three years ago, he said Cooke would visit him every day in the hospital for a few hours. Posipanko said their time together forged a tight bond.
“(All the coaches at Winthrop) were all going through the same thing (when we first started),” Posipanko said. “And it was really a family back in the day. If you needed help or something, we helped each other. Mark was always there if I needed and whenever I needed.”
Cooke will be inducted into the Big South Conference Hall of Fame next spring. Posipanko said that achievement meant a lot to Cooke.
A funeral service for Cooke will be held at West End Baptist Church in Rock Hill on May 20 at 3 p.m.
