Penn coach Allen resigns

Mar 9, 2015 - 12:21 PM Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Jerome Allen has announced his resignation as men's basketball coach at Penn.

Allen will coach the season-finale against Princeton on Tuesday before calling it quits.

"After considerable soul-searching and reflection, I've decided to resign from my post as the men's head basketball coach at the University of Pennsylvania," said Allen. "Nothing could be harder for me, because this institution and program have been so dear to my heart. This program gave me my start as a player, and it helped launch my coaching career. During the past six years, I have been blessed with a tremendous opportunity to which I gave all of my heart and soul. So I leave the program with head held high, knowing that a foundation has been laid for my successor to take this program and return it to the standard of excellence we all expect."

Allen was a two-time Ivy League Player of the Year during his Penn playing career from 1991-95 and joined the staff as an assistant for the 2009-10 season. He took over on an interim basis in December of that year when Glenn Miller was fired, then was given the full-time job the following March.

The Quakers are 9-18 overall this season and just 4-9 in the Ivy League heading into Tuesday's contest.

"Coach Allen and I have engaged in a thorough and thoughtful review of the men's basketball program since I arrived on campus in July, and I know how much this program means to him -- both as its coach and as one of its all-time great players," said Penn athletic director Grace Calhoun. "Jerome has always been held in the highest regard by his teammates, by his fellow basketball alums, by people in the Penn and the Philadelphia communities, and most of all by the players he has coached these last six years. Coach Allen always put the program first, and I am confident that he will continue to be a strong ambassador for the University of Pennsylvania and the Penn basketball program."

Allen has a record of 65-103 in five-plus seasons. The Quakers had just one winning season during his tenure, a 20-13 mark in 2011-12.