DSU's Perspective: DSU Mourns Passing of Former AD Nelson Townsend

DOVER, Delaware (Jan. 9, 2015) -- Delaware State University sends condolences to the family of former Hornet Athletic Director Nelson Townsend, who died Thursday in Tallahassee, Fla. His death at age 73 was announced in a statement by Florida A&M University, where he was serving as Interim Director of Athletics.

Townsend was Delaware State’s Athletic Director for seven years from 1979 to 1986.

During his tenure, the Hornets captured back-to-back Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Talmadge Hill Awards as the league’s top overall men’s program in 1985 and ’86.

Under Townsend’s leadership, Delaware State won a total of 15 MEAC team championships, in addition to numerous individual track and field, cross country and wrestling titles.

The Hornets captured the first MEAC football championship in school history in 1985. Delaware State also collected four MEAC women’s indoor track and field titles (1982, ’84, ’85 and ’86), three men’s indoor track and field championships (1983, ’84, ’86), three men’s and three women’s cross country crowns (1984-86); and their lone volleyball (1986) and wrestling (1984) championships under his leadership.

While at Delaware State, Townsend also engineered the move of the school's sports teams from NCAA Division II to Division I and helped establish its athletics hall-of-fame.

In 1981, Townsend boldly hired Joe Purzycki to lead the Hornets’ football program. In his third season, Purzycki led the team to a 7-3-1 record, its best in 22 years.

When Purzycki left Delaware State in 1985, Townsend appointed Bill Collick to replace him. Collick guided the Hornets to five MEAC championships and a school-record 81 coaching wins.

Townsend had nearly 40 years of experience in collegiate athletics administration. In addition to Delaware State, he served two stints as director of athletics at Maryland-Eastern Shore and Florida A&M; and 12 years at the University of Buffalo. While at Buffalo, he helped usher the program from Division III to Division I in three-and-a-half years.

Also at Buffalo, Townsend served as chairman of the NCAA Olympic Liaison Committee. In that role, he was named as an active member of the United States Olympic Committee. From 1991-93, he traveled extensively to Germany, Canada, Bulgaria, France, England, and Spain in preparation to host the World University Games in Buffalo in 1993.

The Games, using the University of Buffalo as the major site, marked the only time that this event has been hosted in the United States. The World University Games are considered the largest international sports event other than the Summer Olympics. For his effort and leadership in those games, Townsend was the recipient of "The Buffalo Achievement Award" in 1993.

Funeral services for Townsend are scheduled for next Wednesday (Jan. 14) at Florida A&M’s Gaither Gymnasium, according to the Tallahassee (Fla.) Democrat.

COURTESY DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS