Penn lands 4 recruits, but not Hodgson yet

Fran Dunphy and the Penn coaching staff did not have a whole lot of time to mourn the departure of the greatest single class in Ivy League history. Their attention immediately turned to filling the roster spots vacated by the five seniors, all starters last season, who exited with three straight perfect 14-0 Ivy League seasons under their belts. Thus far the recruiting efforts have borne fruit in the form of four incoming freshmen, each of whom has a chance to make a significant impact -- at least down the road. "Talent-wise, they could certainly help us [their first year]," assistant coach Steve Donahue said. "But the transition from high school to Division I really makes it tough to come in and play right away." The best player the Quakers pursued in the spring was not a high school senior, but a college transfer. Rob Hodgson transferred from Indiana University when Hoosiers coach Bob Knight informed he would be redshirted for his freshman season there. Before that, Hodgson averaged 30 points and 15 rebounds for a Long Island, N.Y., high school team that won the state championship. He finished his career third on the all-time New York state scoring list. A 6-foot-7 forward, he can handle the ball with the best of them. Hodgson is taking his time deciding on his new school. Word is it has come down to Penn and Rutgers. Though Penn would surely rather not be left hanging like this, it feels Hodgson is worth it. "We can wait and the other schools who want him can wait," Donahue said. "He's a good kid and after what happened at Indiana, he wants to make sure he makes the right decision." In January, Jed Ryan, a 6-7 forward from Cathedral Prep in Erie, became the first recruit to commit to Penn. He was a four-year starter for a Cathedral squad that reached the state final his junior season. Cathedral lost in the semifinals this past season, but Ryan led the team in scoring with 24 points per game. He was a first-team all-state selection by the Associated Press. "He's got an air of cockiness about him. He's tough, a real competitor," Donahue said. Paul Romanczuk, a 6-6 forward from Archbishop Carroll in Radnor, knew all along Penn was his top choice. Romanczuk averaged 14 points and eight rebounds per game this past season as Carroll won the Philadelphia Catholic League title. Romanczuk recently showed off his extraordinary leaping ability by winning the Labor Classic Slam Dunk contest. "He'll bring some excitement to the Palestra down the road," Donahue said. The other two recruits decided to make the trek from the Left Coast to attend Penn. Frankie Brown is a 6-5 guard from Beverly Hills, Calif., who would have gone to USC had the Trojans offered him a scholarship. The Quakers hope USC's loss will be their gain. One magazine, Blue Chip Illustrated, ranked Brown among the top 100 high school players last season. The last Penn player to be ranked that high was Jerome Allen. Brown led Beverly Hills High with 23 points and eight rebounds. But Brown will have to work to get stronger before he reaches his full potential. The last recruit is probably the biggest question mark of all, but if he pans out he could reap the biggest rewards. He is Jeff Knoll out of Seattle, and the Quakers could have used his 6-11 frame in the middle more than once last season. Knoll was the starting center on a Mercer Island team that won the Washington state championship his sophomore year. Things went downhill from there. He missed virtually all of his final two seasons with first a broken back and then a broken foot. The Quakers hope he has one more comeback left in him. "With that kind of size you have to be excited," Donahue said

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