Trey Townsend is not your average University of Arizona basketball player. There was a point in his life where college basketball felt like a distant dream. However, Townsend transformed himself into one of the Wildcats’ most crucial players on the court, both offensively and defensively.
Years at Oakland
Townsend’s career started long before his arrival to Arizona, in a town of less than five thousand people: Oxford, Michigan. Townsend attended Oxford High School where he played for the boy’s varsity basketball team and competed in high jump for the school’s track and field team.
During his high school years, Townsend broke Oxford High School’s single-season scoring record with 456 points his senior year, finishing second on the school’s career points list. Additionally, he achieved honorable mention all-state both his junior and senior years of high school. Despite these notable statistics, Townsend didn’t know if his efforts in high school would be enough to propel him into a collegiate career.
“I wasn’t really sure if I was ever going to be a college basketball player. I was not really recruited or anything like that. My school was a small basketball school in Michigan,” Townsend said.
Little did he know that his journey was only getting started.
Townsend attended Oakland University and joined the men’s basketball team as a walk-on. Despite an unsuccessful recruiting process, he excelled as a walk-on; his success skyrocketed during his years at Oakland.
In the Oakland record book, Townsend’s achievements include ranking second in career starts; fourth in minutes; sixth in rebounds, steals, and blocks; eighth in both points and field goals made and tenth in free throw attempts. Notably, Townsend reached 21 double-doubles during his tenure at Oakland, tying for sixth in Oakland’s history.
Despite his many achievements, Townsend claimed to have built these successes relatively quietly.
“I was more conservative; more of a lead by example kind of guy,” Townsend said.
Townsend also recognized how the different teammates he played alongside shaped his attitude and behavior on the court; his experiences at Oakland transferred to the player he now hopes to be at Arizona.
“At Oakland, I was fortunate enough to play with a great leader. His name was Blake Lampman. He is what you would think a leader is,” Townsend said, “He was very vocal, motivating, not afraid to speak up and wasn’t shy or anything like that. Being able to see how he was able to lead our team the four years I played with him there I think is giving me some traits that I can bring here to Arizona.”
Family ties
Townsend’s interest in Oakland started long before his basketball career, dating back to his parents’ years at the university, where they were both athletes as well.
“I always wanted to play because both of my parents played. They both played at Oakland, so growing up I always wanted to play there and kind of be like them,” Townsend said.
Athleticism seems to run in the Townsend family. Trey’s brother, Zach Townsend, is a redshirt junior defender for the Oakland’s men’s soccer team. According to Townsend, his other siblings have always been involved in sports as well.
Townsend ‘s parents, Skip and Nicole, have always served as motivators and supporters in Trey’s life. Townsend considers them his most influential mentors.
“Like I said, I always wanted to be like them growing up, and they had the ultimate belief in me. They always told my siblings and I that we could do whatever we wanted to as long as we put our minds to it and gave 100% effort. So, I definitely wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them,” Townsend said.
The transition to Arizona
“The whole portal process was a whirlwind,” Townsend said. “Obviously there were a lot of schools talking to me, but coach [Jack] Murphy and coach [Tommy] Lloyd were one of the first schools to reach out and keep a good relationship the whole time.”
Lloyd is the head coach for the Wildcats alongside associate head coach Jack Murphy.
“They were the first school to come visit me at my house in Michigan and ever since then I just felt like their relationship with me was super strong and true. I felt they had the best vision for me and planned for me to get to the ultimate goal which is the highest level professionally,” Townsend said.
Townsend expressed his aspirations of playing in the NBA and his trust in coaches Lloyd and Murphy to help him get there. In addition to the guidance of his coaches, he also values the support and motivation of his Wildcat teammates.
“I’m still learning and trying to fit in since this is my first year here but my teammates have been great with that,” Townsend said.
Basketball heavily relies on teamwork on and off the court, and Wildcat players spend crucial moments together outside of their time playing basketball. As a new member of the team, Townsend extended these efforts in hopes they will translate on the court as well.
Townsend’s game is what drives his career and current lifestyle. Something Townsend has been focusing on this season is his 3-point shooting following his role as a forward down low at Oakland.
“I always felt like I was a capable shooter. So, when I got here in June, that was the main focus: to get back that confidence and polish off or knock the rust off of that skill and get back to being comfortable outside of the three point line,” Townsend said.
Townsend is in his fifth year as a college basketball player. While The constant demands of travelling, games and practice took a lot of time away from his studies, Trey said the best way to stay on top of the workload is to be completely transparent with his professors and advisors.
“Explain to them before the semester starts who you are and why you will be missing stuff, and try to get on top of things. More often than not, they’re a fan of basketball or whatever sport it may be and they want you to succeed. They are not out to get you as long as you’re transparent with them,” Townsend said.
Did you know?
There may be a typical stereotype surrounding college basketball players, but Trey Townsend does not always fit this conventional mold.
Due to Townsend’s extreme superstitions, his game-time rituals are rigid.
“I got a Jimmy John’s sandwich one time before a game, like at the beginning of last year, and I had never been a fan of Jimmy John’s and I never ate it,” Townsend said. “But then I played really well, so I was like, well, I have to keep doing that.”
Regardless of where the team travels or plays, Townsend ensures he gets his Jimmy John’s sandwich.
“No matter what, I will get a giant sub from Jimmy John’s,” Townsend said.
While many people associate athletes solely with their sport, they often overlook their academic pursuits. Townsend initially started his studies in health science, but after realizing the challenges of balancing college sports and academics, he decided to switch his focus.
“I would have majored in digital media production, but [Oakland] didn’t have it as a major, so I majored in communications and specialized in digital media,” Townsend said.
According to Townsend, basketball has helped him improve in public speaking settings and expand his way of communicating, which will be very valuable in his life after basketball.
“If basketball stops, I’d want to do something of videography, but I also wouldn’t be opposed to sports broadcasting or things like that,” Townsend said. “I think that [basketball] has also prepared me for that. […] I’m comfortable speaking now and knowing how to articulate things.”
Growing up, Townsend surrounded himself with basketball in various forms, particularly on television. While he never had a player he tried to mimic, there was one who caught his attention.
“My favorite NBA player is Giannis [Antetokounmpo]. I just like everything about him,” Townsend said.
When Townsend isn’t busy with Wildcat basketball, he likes to relax by playing video games.
“More often than not, when I’m not here, I’ll be on my couch playing video games or something,” Townsend said.
With Townsend’s passion for basketball and eye in digital media, there’s no doubt he will excel, no matter where his journey takes him.
Follow the Daily Wildcat on Instagram and Twitter/X
