Mansfield University Celebrates Homecoming Weekend

MANSFIELD, PA– Alumni, family, and friends returned to Mansfield University to celebrate Homecoming Weekend 2019 on October 4 and 5. The weekend teed-up Friday morning with the annual golf tournament at Corey Creek Golf Club, and continued with a Garden Bar party on the South Hall mall. On Saturday, events included the annual Frank Butsko Awards Breakfast, homecoming parade, tailgating and spirit competitions, PRISM concert, and homecoming athletics events including Field Hockey and Sprint Football.

The Mountaineers Sprint Football team defeated Alderson Broaddus University 48-18 to move to 3-1. The 2019 Homecoming Queen and King were crowned at halftime.

This year’s Homecoming Queen is Shyonna Willams. Shyonna, sponsored by the Issa Girls Thing student organization, is a senior Psychology major from Philadelphia, PA.

The Homecoming King for 2019 is Griffin Stone. Griffin, a native of Dallas, PA, was sponsored by the eSports Club student organization and is also a senior Psychology major.

Earlier on Saturday, the homecoming parade rolled through downtown Mansfield at 10 a.m., featuring The Spirit and Pride of Pennsylvania Marching Band, Homecoming Court, and other local entries.

Pretty special when The Spirit and the Pride of Pennsylvania Marching Band is your accompanying music. @mansfieldU Homecoming 2019. pic.twitter.com/08mhoETN6x

— Charles Patterson (@CEPattersonJr) October 5, 2019

After the parade, the day’s events turned to Van Norman Field for tailgating and football. The Cross Country Alumni were the winners of the first Mountaineers Tailgate Competition.

Friday evening featured the 37th Alumni-Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. This year’s inductees included Mountie football standout Walter Hartshorn, track and field national champion Brenae Edwards King, Mountaineer football legend Donald Mahon and 1983-84 PSAC Champions Men’s Basketball team, coached by the legendary Ed Wilson. Tom Harvey, men’s basketball standout from the late ’90s, was also elected to the Hall of Fame and will be inducted at a later time.

Walter Hartshorn was a three-year starter at tight end for the Mountaineers from 1989-1992, starting in all but one of his 31 appearances. He was named a 1st Team All-PSAC selection following the 1990 season. Hartshorn was selected as the 2012 Frank Butsko Award recipient, becoming just the second tight end to ever receive the honor.

Brenae Edwards King earned the first individual national title for any Mansfield student-athlete across all sports after winning the 10,000-meter run at the 2013 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Pueblo, Colo. She also finished runner-up in the 5,000-meter run at the 2013 NCAA Outdoor Championships to earn her second All-American finish at the championship meet. Edwards King is one of just two student-athletes and the only female to earn Mansfield University Athlete of the Year recognition seven different times.

Donald Mahon was a standout football and baseball player for Mansfield in the 1940s and 1950s. During the 1950 season, Mahon started every game at guard despite breaking his wrist in the third game of the season. Mahon usually played all 60 minutes and handled punting and placekicking duties.

The 1983-84 Men’s Basketball team posted a 26-6 overall record with a 10-4 mark in the PSAC East on its way to winning the PSAC Championship and a berth in the NCAA East Regional. The Mounties’ 26 wins that season is still a program record and Mansfield ended the season ranked No. 6 in the final national poll. Head Coach, Ed Wilson, was named PSAC East Division and PSAC Coach of the Year, NABC East Region Coach of the Year, and was one of eight candidates for the National Coach of the Year award. Sophomore guard Chris Venning, junior forward Gerard Conyers, and senior center Nelson Tuitt were each named to 2nd Team All-PSAC East honors. Tuitt and fellow senior Carl Walker were named to the PSAC All-Tournament Team with Tuitt being named Tournament MVP. Venning added All-East Region honors to his list of accolades that season. 1983-84 Men’s Basketball is just the third team to be inducted into the Mansfield University Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame.

Saturday was kicked off with the annual Frank Butsko Awards Breakfast. This year’s recipient of the Frank Butsko Award was senior lineman Dante Torrisi. The Frank Butsko Award is the most prestigious honor that can be bestowed upon a Mountaineer football player. The award is named after former assistant coach Frank Butsko who was killed in an automobile accident during a recruiting trip.