TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida A&M interim athletic director Nelson Townsend has died. He was 73.
The school says Townsend was taken to a hospital Thursday morning. The cause of death was not released.
"The University lost a dear friend, excellent leader, and administrator," FAMU president Elmira Mangum said in a statement. We will miss Nelson Townsend. We join his wife and family in mourning this great loss."
Townsend was in the midst of his third stretch as FAMU athletic director after stints from 1986-87 and 2005-07. He replaced Kellen Winslow, who resigned in December, and hired football coach Alex Wood later that month.
Townsend had more than 40 years of experience in athletics and held the position as athletic director at Maryland Eastern Shore and the University of Buffalo during his career.