Millikin Athletics

Brandon Townsend will enter his 14th season as Millikin University's Head Baseball Coach in the spring of 2027. He was named the Head Baseball Coach at Millikin in June 2013. He is the winningest coach in the program's history. In addition to heading the Millikin baseball program, Townsend serves as a strength and conditioning coach for Millikin.

Townsend's 2026 squad returned to the top of the CCIW, posting a 35-10 record, and a 15-5 mark in conference play. As the CCIW tournament host and top seed, the Big Blue cruised to the tournament title without a loss, and hosted an NCAA Regional bracket before bowing out. The Big Blue posted seven student-athletes to the All-CCIW teams, and the Millikin coaching staff was named the CCIW Coaching Staff of the Year. Four MU student-athletes were named to the all-region teams by the ABCA, and Gavin Houchins and Caleb Akins were named all-Americans by D3baseball.com.Pete Britton would be named to the ABCA Region VII All-Defensive Team, and Akins would go on to triple up as an ABCA/Rawlings all-American, and a College Sports Communicators Academic All-American.

In 2025, the Big Blue finished with a record of 23-20, and an 11-9 mark in CCIW play. Millikin qualified for the CCIW tournament, defeating five-seed Wheaton College before dropping a pair of games to close the season. Caleb Akins, Sam Bushur, and Liam McGill were named to the All-CCIW first team, with Akins taking home First-Year Student-Athlete of the Year honors. Tyle Gade was named to the second team. Bushur went on to be named second team all-region by D3baseball.com.

In 2024, Townsend became Millikin's all-time winningest baseball coach surpassing the 200 career win mark. Townsend led the Big Blue to a 29-16 record winning a share of the College Conference of Illinois an Wisconsin (CCIW) regular season title and making a trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Big Blue squad included All-American and CCIW Pitcher of the Year Caleb Buehrle and five players on the All-Conference First with two making the Second Team. Townsend was named the CCIW Co-Coach of the Year.
 
In 2022 and 2023, Millikin has posted 27-16 records each year going 11-7 in CCIW action. Millikin finished in third in the CCIW race in 2023 and tied for second in 2022.

In 2021, Townsend led the Big Blue to the best season in school history with a 31-16 overall record and a 20-12 mark in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW). Millikin set school records for overall wins and conference wins in a season. Townsend guided the Big Blue to a CCIW Tournament Title and the school’s first ever trip to the NCAA Tournament.

In 2019, Millikin finished 23-20 overall, going 14-10 in CCIW conference play. The Big Blue were third in the regular season standings and qualified for the CCIW Tournament for the first time since 1990, where they would finish third in the conference playoffs. 2019's successes lead to Coach Townsend being named CCIW Coach of the Year, becoming one of two coaches in Millikin history to receive the honor, and the first Millikin coach since 2000 to be given the award. 
 
Townsend’s players have earned All-Conference First Team honors 17 times and 17 players received All-Conference Second Team recognition. Thirteen players have earned All-Region honors during Townsend’s tenure.
          
Under Townsend’s guidance, the Big Blue baseball program has excelled in the classroom.  In 2014-15 and 2015-16, the baseball team had the highest grade point average of any male sports team at Millikin.  In 2017, 18 baseball players earned CCIW Academic All-Conference honors. Eleven players were honored 2018, 14 2019, 12 in 2020, 14 in 2021, and 15 in 2022. 
         
Prior to coming to Millikin, Townsend served as the Head Assistant Coach at Concordia University-Chicago for three seasons.  He was Concordia’s Head Pitching Coach and the program’s Recruiting Coordinator.  Townsend helped guide Concordia to three 30 win seasons and two straight NCAA Tournament appearances. In 2013, the Cougar’s went 39-7 winning the NAC regular season and tournament titles and advancing to the championship game of the NCAA Central Regional. Five of Townsend’s pitchers earned All-Conference honors this season.
                    
Townsend played collegiately for three seasons at North Central College, serving as team captain for two seasons and earning two CCIW Pitcher of the Week awards. Townsend served as an assistant baseball coach at North Park University in 2005-06 and at North Central in 2006-07.
         
Townsend graduated from North Central with a Bachelor of Arts in Athletic Training in 2005 and earned his master’s degree in Athletic Administration from California University in Pennsylvania. Townsend is a Certified Performance Enhancement Specialist (NASM).