Originally Rensselaer's head coach from 1992 to 2002, Jim Townsend returned to Troy in 2007. He has since established a new standard for the program, compiling nearly 200 wins (190-115) entering the 2018 campaign.
In 21 seasons with the Engineers, Townsend has led the program to 16 winning records and 12 years of at least 10 wins. In fact, in seven of the last eight seasons, RPI has won at least 10 games, including a school single-season record 14 victories in 2010.
Townsend has led Rensselaer to four NCAA Tournament appearances - the only four in school history - including a place in the national quarterfinals in 2001, the farthest into the post-season the program has reached. The most recent berth came in 2016 when the Engineers hosted a First Round game and finished 13-5.
A native of Corning, N.Y., Townsend posted an 80-54 (.597) record in his first stint with RPI. In that span he led the team to eight consecutive post-season appearances (1994-2001), including the program’s first-ever NCAA
Tournament invitation in 2000. RPI also played in six ECAC Tournaments, winning twice (1997, 1999), and Rensselaer won four Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association (UCAA) titles (1996, 1998, 2000, 2001).
Following a four-year stint at McDaniel College in Maryland, Townsend returned to Rensselaer and has had nine winning seasons in 11 years, including eight win double digit victories. RPI had 19 wins and two Liberty League Tournament appearances in his first two seasons back (2007, 2008).
The 2010 campaign started with six consecutive victories, including a 15-6 win at Elmira that made Townsend the winningest coach in men's lacrosse history. He guided the Engineers to a 14-3 record, including a perfect 6-0 mark in Liberty League play. In addition to winning the conference's regular season title, RPI claimed victory in the league tournament and an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament, gaining a bye into the Second Round. Rensselaer ranked fourth nationally in scoring defense (6.18 goals per game).
Townsend's teams amassed 21 wins and another appearance in the conference final over the next two seasons (2011, 2012).
The 2014 Engineers went 11-5 overall with a 4-2 Liberty League slate and Townsend earned his fourth Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year award (1996, 1998, 2000, 2014) for his efforts. The team had a 90% conversion rate in man-down situations, which was the best in the nation and also the highest in school history. RPI duplicated the feat and set a new mark (92.9%) in 2015 on its way to posting a 10-5 record.
The following season, 2016, Townsend led the team to 13 wins, the finals of the Liberty League Tournament and an NCAA Tournament appearance. Nine student-athletes earned All-Liberty League, two were All-Region and three garnered National All-America certificates.
Townsend has coached nearly two dozen National All-Americas, along with numerous Scholar All-Americas, almost 20 North-South Game participants and several Players of the Year.Â
While at McDaniel, Townsend had a 32-26 record with two appearances in the conference semifinals. Five of his student-athletes garnered National All-America honors and one was a Scholar All-America – the first in the program’s history.
Townsend originally came to RPI from Washington College in Chestertown, Md., where he was an assistant coach in charge of recruiting, scouting and midfield play. He also coached at the Worcester Preparatory School in Berlin, Md., leading the team to a 23-14 record in three years.
In his collegiate playing career, Townsend earned four varsity letters at attack at Salisbury University. He led the team in scoring as a senior captain and was the team’s Most Valuable Player in 1986. Upon graduating, he served as an assistant coach and offensive coordinator at his alma mater.
Townsend, his wife, Kit, and their sons, JD and Bernie, reside in Glenville.
Updated July 2017
