Jeff Townsend

Sport: Wheelchair Basketball
Residence: Provo, Utah

Jeff Townsend grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah, playing able-bodied sports with his friends in the backyard, even though he has a disability. Jeff was born with Spina Bifida. Spina Bifida happens during the first month of pregnancy when the spinal column does not close completely. Jeff’s level of injury is L4-5. Jeff’s first introduction to disabled sports was during his junior year in high school when he started to play wheelchair basketball.

During his 2nd semester as a freshman at the University of Utah, he decided to transfer to the University of Illinois to study Sport Management and play wheelchair basketball. During his 5 years at the University of Illinois, Jeff received many athletic and academic awards. In addition, he was the recipient of a number of scholarships for academic and athletic excellence. Jeff played 4 years with the University of Illinois men’s wheelchair basketball team and was an assistant coach his last year on campus.

In 2005, Jeff was a part of the U.S. National Wheelchair Basketball team that qualified for World Championships in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Also in 2005, Jeff was selected by the Denver Rollin Nuggets as the 2nd overall pick in the National Wheelchair Basketball Association’s (NWBA) draft. In 2006 Jeff participated with The Hartford, founding sponsor of U.S. Paralympics, at Final Four’s Hoop City in Indianapolis, IN to promote The Hartford and the game of wheelchair basketball.

In 2007, Jeff was part of the USA men’s wheelchair basketball team winning the gold medal at the Parapan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Now Jeff is training for the 2008 Summer Paralympic Games in Beijing, China.

Jeff works at Brigham Young University in the athletic department and has a Master’s Degree in Sport Management. He currently plays with the Denver Rollin Nuggets and is actively involved in disability awareness in his community.

Jeff works with The Hartford, founding sponsor of U.S. Paralympics®, to help positively change public attitudes and perceptions about disability.