Bowman Added at Penn
The University of Pennsylvania's Head Coach Jerome Allen, has announced the hiring of NJ Hooper Ira Bowman as assistant coach.
Bowman replaces Mike Martin, who recently left Penn to become head coach at Brown.
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"I am extremely happy to continue building this program with someone who is deeply passionate about this University," Allen said of Bowman. "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."
"It is with great appreciation and honor that I return to the University of Pennsylvania," said Bowman. "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!"
Bowman returns to Penn after spending the last four years at NJIT. The year before Bowman arrived at NJIT, the Highlanders were winless (0-29), and in his first season they went 1-30. Since then, NJIT has improved dramatically-just two years after that 1-30 campaign, the Highlanders went 15-15 overall including a 9-3 Great West Conference mark in 2010-11. This past season, NJIT went 15-17 overall and advanced to the Great West Conference championship game.
Bowman played two years at Penn, the 1994-95 and 1995-96 seasons, after transferring from Providence College. His first year with the Quakers was Allen's senior season, when Penn went 22-6 overall and 14-0 en route to its third straight Ivy League title. Bowman was second-team All-Ivy that season. As a senior, Bowman was the Ivy League Player of the Year and first-team All-Philadelphia Big 5 as he led the Quakers to a 17-10 record including a 12-2 mark in Ivy play. Penn tied Princeton that year for the conference title, but fell to the Tigers in a one-game playoff to determine the Ivy's NCAA Tournament bid.
Following his Penn career, Bowman enjoyed a professional playing career that included stints with the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers and Atlanta Hawks. He also played overseas, in Italy and Australia, as well as in the Continental Basketball Association.
Before returning to college basketball as a coach, Bowman spent four years as director of the Assist by Knight Foundation. In addition, he has experience with several aspects of the NBA including serving as an administrator at the NBA's FIBA Tournament in Las Vegas in 2007 and participating in the NBA's Player Development Assistant Coaches Summit in 2007.
Bowman graduated from Seton Hall Prep in 1991 with 1,488 career points.
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