Newman University junior Charlie Townsend was named to the 2024-25 All-MIAA men’s team on April 24 following a consistent golf season that saw him finish 13th in the conference’s individual standings.
Townsend secured his place among the top 15 student-athletes in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) standings, earning All-MIAA honors for the first time in his collegiate career.
“It was kind of surprising,” Townsend said. “There are hundreds of good golfers in this conference, so to be one of the top 15 is a nice surprise. It was rewarding to see the work I put in this winter pay off.”
Townsend’s season was highlighted by a runner-up finish at the Tiger Classic, where he posted a career-best score of 212. He closed out the year at the MIAA Championship with a total score of 224, which brought him to 33rd place overall. His performances throughout the season earned him a total of 13.5 points in the conference standings.
“I love the competition and how golf changes every day,” said Townsend, who’s been playing for seven years. “You always feel like you’re on the edge of perfecting it, and that challenge keeps me coming back.”
Practice like you play
During the season, Townsend and his teammates logged around 20 hours a week on the course while preparing for tournaments — a workload that he says reflects the team’s growth.
“We had a good season, especially compared to last year. We improved a lot,” he said.
In addition to his All-MIAA recognition, Townsend is preparing to compete in a U.S. Open local qualifier on May 5 — his second attempt after finishing in the top 20 as a first-year student.
“I’m just excited to be out there again,” he said. “One of my teammates will be caddying for me, and we’re just going to enjoy it. The idea of possibly playing in a major is surreal.”
The MIAA also announced postseason awards, naming University of Central Oklahoma’s Bennett Baldwin the MIAA Golfer of the Year and the University of Central Missouri’s Lawson Barks the MIAA Freshman of the Year.
A full list of All-MIAA selections and final standings is available at theMIAA.com/GolfStandings.
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