The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) announced today their 2012 Hall of Fame class. Among the seven inductees is Nelson Townsend, a 1962 graduate of then Maryland State College and Athletics Hall of Famer from the now named, University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES). Townsend is well known in college athletics from his time as the Director of Athletics at several institutions, including the University at Buffalo, Delaware State University, Florida A&M University and two stints at his alma mater.
The class also includes: Nelson Bobb, University of North Carolina Greensboro; Bob Bottger, St. Louis Community College Meramec; Rudy Carvajal, Cal State Bakersfield; Oval Jaynes, Jacksonville State University; Laing Kennedy, Kent State University and Andrea 'Andi' Seger, Ball State University.
Townsend began his storied athletics administration career when he was named director of athletics at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) in 1975, and again, in 2003.
While at Buffalo, he became the first African-American AD in 1987, and worked to move the athletics program from NCAA Division III to Division I in just three-and-a-half years. During his time at Delaware State, Townsend oversaw the athletics department transition from Division II to Division I.
During his time as an administrator, he served on various committees, including the NCAA Olympic Liaison Committee, NCAA Nominating Committee, Board of Directors for the Boy Scouts of America and National Education Association.
In February, Townsend was inducted into the UMES Athletics Hall of Fame, which only has 199 total members. This marked the second time that he has been inducted into a collegiate hall of fame. In 1987, he was selected into the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Hall of Fame. A native of Horntown, Va. Townsend and his wife Diane, have five children.
The inductees will receive their awards on Tuesday, June 26 at NACDA's 47th Annual Convention at the Learfield Sports Directors' Cup Awards Luncheon, located at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas. NACDA and Affiliates Convention week will take place from June 22-28 at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas. For updated information as it becomes available, please visit www.nacda.com. #NACDA12
Portions of this release appear compliments of NACDA.