Claire Townsend begins her first season as manager for the Rainbow Wahine. Previously, she served as a volunteer assistant coach in charge of goalies.
Townsend attended Pomona College in California where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in anthropology in 2001. She was a four-year letterwinner in swimming and water polo. Townsend captained the swim team as a senior and also earned all-conference accolades.
After graduation, she taught English in Okinawa for two years before enrolling at the University of North Carolina, where she earned her master's in public health in 2005. At UNC, she played on both the men's and women's water polo club teams and was a first-team all-conference goalie.
A native of Silver Spring, Md., Townsend graduated from Montgomery Blair High School in 1997, where she earned four letters in swimming and was a member of the National Honor Society.
Townsend is currently the physical activity and nutrition coalition director for the state of Hawai`i. Prior to that, she came to Hawai`i to work at Kokua Kalihi Valley as a program coordinator.
Townsend is a member of both the Anuenue women's club and Oahu men's club teams. During graduate school, she also spent one season with a club team in New Zealand.
Townsend is single and resides in Honolulu.
