[2] Townsend is a 1982 graduate of Western Kentucky University, where he completed his bachelor's degree in recreation and played point guard from 1978–80.
The team won the 1980 Ohio Valley Conference championship and earned a bid in the 1980 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament where they lost in the first round to Virginia Tech in an overtime game.
[3] Prior to Western Kentucky, Townsend spent two seasons playing at Menlo Junior College in California.
Townsend had coaching positions at Miami, USC, and Michigan early in his career.
[5][6] In the 2022–23 season, Townsend and head coach Bill Self were suspended for 4 games for recruiting violations.