We’re counting down the top 10 moments in each Ivy school’s history as part of our Ivy League at 60 retrospective. Penn is next because alum Elon Musk had a rough weekend.
In my view, Jerome Allen is probably one of the best all-around players to ever play for the Quakers. (At least, he is the best Penn player I’ve ever seen play.) A local Philly product and four-year starter, he lead Penn to three Ivy titles with all of them coming by way of perfect 14-0 records. The 48-game Ivy winning streak he was part of from 1993-96 remains a conference record. Allen’s personal accolades are prodigious: Ivy Player of the Year twice, first team All-Ivy and All-Big 5 three times, and hoops super stud every year he played.
When his collegiate career ended, Jerome was the all-time leader for the Quakers in assists (504) and steals (166) while grabbing 482 rebounds as a guard. He currently is sixth on Penn’s all-time scoring list having poured in 1,518 points. After college, he was inducted into the Big 5 Hall of Fame and remains the Ivy League’s last NBA draft pick, having been selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round.
His less than stellar stint as head coach of the Quakers should never diminish what he meant to the university—a once in a generation talent for the Ivy League.
All I can say is, you should have seen him fly.