MANSFIELD, PA— Longtime coach and professor Ed Wilson was awarded the Mansfield 
University Presidential Coin for Excellence by President Fran Hendricks on September 21.
Wilson arrived in Mansfield 49 years ago, serving as an assistant men’s basketball coach for one season and then, in 1967, taking over as the head coach.
He led the Mountaineers for 19 years, with his teams winning 300 games and taking the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championships (PSAC) in 1975 and 1985 and playing in the postseason 12 times.
Wilson’s Mountaineers won the NCAA Regional Championship in 1975 and 1977 and the ECAC Regional Championship in 1977 and 1980.
He was named PSAC Coach of the Year in 1984 and East District Coach of the Year 1984 and 1985. Wilson was inducted into the MU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002.
In addition to his coaching duties, Wilson served as an associate professor in Health and Physical Education for 25 years.
“The stories of Coach Wilson’s teams, from the packed houses at the old Rec Center and Decker Gymnasium to the caravans of fans travelling to away games, and how those teams represented Mansfield are legendary.” Hendricks said. “As a student in one of his classes, or as a fan in the stands, Coach Wilson always personified the University’s Creed. And the loyalty of his players to this day speak to the character of the man and the impact he has had on their lives. Few in Mansfield’s history are more deserving of this honor.”
The coin was developed by Hendricks and designed by MU Publications Director Andy Worthington. It is awarded selectively to persons who have contributed greatly to the university, using the Mansfield Creed; Character, Scholarship, Culture and Service as a guideline.
The coin bears several symbols representing historical highlights and other aspects of the university that make it distinctive.
For more information on the Mansfield University Presidential Coin for Excellence and to see the gallery of honorees, go to president.mansfield.edu/coin-for-excellence