Head coach Steve Shields has named Marques Townsend UALR’s new Director of Basketball Operations. Townsend has spent the past two years as a manager and administrative volunteer at Kansas.

“We’re very excited to have Marques join our staff,” Shield said. “He brings great experience with him to this position. Having spent the last two years at a program like Kansas, I know he will be able to help our program in many areas.”

While at Kansas, Townsend collaborated with coaches and managers in producing scouting reports, helping the Jayhawks to 56 wins over the last two seasons. He handled the bulk of the staff’s video responsibilities, filming each game and producing digital and DVD copies for coaches, opponents and officials.

Townsend also spent the 2007 calendar year as a student equipment manager at Kansas. In addition to administrative duties, he managed the sports equipment for over 250 student-athletes, including KU track & field, softball, rowing, soccer and women’s basketball.

Between his stints in the Kansas athletic department, Townsend was a security forces patrolman with the United States Navy from 2008-12. He spent three summers (2002-04) as a teaching assistant at Pinnacle Academy in Santa Clara, Calif., and served as a coach at Bill Self Basketball Camp for four summers (2006-07, 2012-13).

Townsend was a member of the Lassen College men’s basketball team from 2003-05. Playing for head coach Fred Chmiel, he helped the team to a Golden Valley Conference title and the California Community College Playoffs in 2004.

He earned his bachelor’s in communication studies from Kansas in July 2014.

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