MANSFIELD, Pa. – The Mountaineer Athletic department announced the 2025-26 winners of the prestigious Creed Awards.
 
Started in 2020, the Mansfield athletic department has selected four student-athletes to represent the pillars of the Mansfield University creed. The students were nominated by athletic staff members and were chosen by a committee. The four pillars of our creed are character, scholarship, culture, and service.
 
Sprint Football's Jack Gartner, softball's Emma Wonsick, track and field's Ibrahim Sheriff and softball's Sarah Sherman were honored with each respective pillar.
 
VISIT THIS LINK FOR PREVIOUS WINNERS
 
CHARACTER

Mansfield describes the Character pillar as; We believe in integrity. We act with honesty and respect toward others. We take responsibility for our actions and reflect on their impact on ourselves and others.

Jack Gartner was was selected as the student-athlete to represent character, being nominated by head coach John Evans.

"He is a real leader on the team. High Character individual leads by example and extremely well spoken. Plays a selfless position and embodies that character." Evans stated. "He is active in student government and secretary of the SAAC. There is not much that you could ask in the department that Jack doesn't step right up in volunteered for."
 
SCHOLARSHIP

The Scholarship pillar reads; We believe in learning. We use rigorous, responsible, and critical inquiry to understand existing knowledge, acquire and share new knowledge, and apply what we learn. Each of us is both student and teacher.

Emma Wonsick was selected as the student-athlete to represent scholarship, being nominated by head coach Edith Gallagher. She is the second two-time winner for the pillar of Scholarship.

"Emma exemplifies the Mansfield Creed's commitment to learning through rigorous inquiry, knowledge sharing, and academic excellence. Maintaining a perfect 4.00 GPA in both overall and major coursework, she demonstrates exceptional dedication to scholarship while pursuing a degree in Biology with a concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology." Stated Gallagher. "Through her academic excellence, research contributions, and dedication to mentoring and outreach, Emma truly represents the spirit of the Creed Award for Scholarship."
 
CULTURE

Mansfield's creed describes culture as; We believe in celebrating humanity. We enrich ourselves and others by sharing and exploring our similarities and differences. We honor the past as we invent the future.

Ibrahim Sheriff was selected as the student-athlete to represent culture, being nominated by head coach Nick Mattis.

"Ibrahim brings his culture and into the school and team.  Extremely positive with his beliefs and caring, supportive of his teammates and leads through example." Mattis said. "From a team culture perspective, he has developed into a strong leader and an athlete the team relies on."
 
SERVICE

Service as described by the Mansfield Creed is; We believe in helping others. We work with others to improve the communities in which we now live and will touch in the future. Knowledge invests us with the power to improve our world and the responsibility to act.
 
Softball's Sarah Sherman was selected as the student-athlete to represent service, being nominated by head coach Edith Gallagher. It is Sherman's second honor. She becomes the first Mountie to earn this honor twice.

"Sarah has demonstrated a genuine passion for giving back through her extensive involvement across campus and within the community. From participating in Special Olympics Bocce, youth clinics, and National Girls and Women in Sport Day, to taking on leadership roles in SAAC, SGA, CCSI, and BOOM, she has made a meaningful impact in a variety of ways." Gallagher said. "What truly sets her apart is her selflessness and genuine desire to help those around her. She does not seek recognition, but instead consistently looks for ways to uplift her teammates, support her community, and represent Mansfield with pride. She exemplifies the values of character and service in both word and action."
 
 
"Character as the essential, Scholarship as the means,
Culture as the enrichment, and Service as the end of all worthy endeavors."