Penn basketball adds two assistant coaches

The men's basketball team has officially named its two new assistant coaches: Ira Bowman will be replacing Mike Martin, who left to take the head coaching position at Brown, while Jason Polykoff will be taking over for Rudy Wise.

Bowman transferred to Penn from Providence College and played for the Quakers for two seasons, in 1994-95 and 1995-96. His first year in the Red and Blue was Allen's final season at Penn.

As a senior, Bowman was named Ivy League Player of the Year and first-team All-Philadelphia Big 5. The Quakers went 12-2 in the Ivy League that season, but fell to Princeton in a one-game playoff for the conference title.

Bowman played professionally with the Philadelphia 76ers and Atlanta Hawks, as well as overseas in Italy and Australia. He spent the past four years coaching at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Here is what Jerome Allen had to say about Bowman:

I am extremely happy to continue building this program with someone who is deeply passionate about this University. The career Ira had here has been well documented, and I know he will put forth every effort working to make this program the best that it can be.

Bowman had this to say about rejoining the Quakers:

It is with great appreciation and honor that I return to the University of Pennsylvania. It was a privilege to play here and I am equally grateful to have an opportunity to coach here alongside Coach Allen, whom I deeply respect. Jerome was a tremendous teammate at Penn; his character, humility and determination are the building blocks of what it means to be a Quaker. I share his passion and commitment in making Penn basketball the elite program we believe it is. I could not be more excited!

Jason Polykoff has been the head coach at Friends Central School in Wynnewood, Pa., for the past five years. His team has won four consecutive Pennsylvania Independent Schools State Championships from 2009-12. Polykoff played basketball at Haverford College.

Here is what Polykoff said about his new position:

Having an opportunity to coach at Penn is essentially a dream come true. If you combine the history of Penn basketball with the Big 5 and the Palestra, it is too good of a situation to pass up. Also, to have the opportunity to work with Jerome Allen, Dan Leibovitz and Ira Bowman-three great coaches and even better people-I know I am going to learn a lot. Just as important, I've been affiliated with high academic institutions my whole life, coming from Friends' Central, to Haverford College, and back to Friends' Central. I feel a sense of comfort at a place like Penn.