PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania's John R. Rockwell Head Coach of Men's Basketball, Steve Donahue, has announced his recruiting class for the upcoming 2023-24 season. Four young men—Sam Brown, Augie Gerhart, Tyler Perkins, and Nik Polonowski—will join the Quakers' men's basketball roster this season as freshmen.
 
"I am excited to get started with this group of guys," said Donahue, who has been the Quakers' head coach since the 2015-16 season. "All four of these young men have outstanding skill sets and IQ, and I think they will be a great addition to what is already a solid group of returning, experienced players. I look forward to seeing Sam, Augie, Tyler and Nik add another impressive chapter to the historic tradition that is Penn Men's Basketball."
 
Penn finished the 2022-23 season with a 17-13 overall record and finished third in the Ivy League with a 9-5 mark, ending the campaign one game off the league leaders. The Quakers then lost to eventual champion Princeton in an Ivy Madness semifinal.
 
SAM BROWN
6-3 | 180
Merion Station, Pa. | Lower Merion
High School: Four-year letter winner and captain as a senior under head coach Gregg Downer … Graduated as LM's all-time leader with 245 three-point baskets and as the program's fifth-leading scorer with 1,325 points … Helped LM to two district and one Central League championships … Second-team Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Class 6A All-State as a senior … Two-time first-team All-Central League … Graduated summa cum laude.
 
Personal: Son of Anna and Brett Brown … Enrolled in the Wharton School of Business.
 
Why Penn? "The opportunity to study at Wharton as well as playing for Coach Donahue were the main reasons why I chose Penn."
 
 
AUGIE GERHART
6-9 | 235
Denver, Pa. | The Hill School
High School: Lettered in basketball, two-year captain under head coach Seth Eilberg … Scored more than 1,000 points over his career … Two-time first-team All Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) … First-team Pottstown Mercury All-Area … Named non-PIAA first-team All-Area by City of Basketball Love … First-team All-Academic (MAPL) … Played AAU for WeR1 (17u) and Philly Pride (15u-16u) … Woodworking student of the year.
 
Personal: Son of Jennifer and Martin Gerhart … Older sister, Sybilla, plays college lacrosse at Allegheny … Enrolled in the Wharton School of Business.
 
Why Penn? "I chose Penn because it felt like home. I fell in love with the rich basketball history, and the fact that I would not have to compromise academics. The coaching staff was perfect and everything they said I related to. It just feels right."
 
 
TYLER PERKINS
6-4 | 205
Lorton, Va. | Landon School
High School: Lettered in basketball and was captain as a senior … Scored more than 1,000 points in just 50 games … Interstate Athletic Conference (IAC) Player of the Year and first-team All-Met as a senior when he averaged 24.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.5 steals per game … 2023 Capital Classic MVP … Montgomery County Sports HOF Athlete of the Week … Earned All-IAC as a junior … Also played with Team Takeover National junior year … TTO National 17u Grassroots Basketball Finale Hoopseen champions … Played with Virginia Elite sophomore year … Honor Roll I and ll (4 times)

Personal: Son of Ellen and Rory Perkins ... Sister, Kathryn, is a member of the dance team at Pitt … Enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences.
 
Why Penn? "I chose Penn because the basketball culture at Penn and in Philadelphia is second to none, and the historic Palestra just shows how special of a place it is. I believe in the coaching staff and teammates that we can win and play in March. I also chose Penn because its out-of-conference schedule is always among the top 100 so we're always playing the best teams. The school itself is an amazing institution and I'm very happy that I will be a part of it soon."
 
 
NIK POLONOWSKI
6-6 | 210
La Grange, Ill. | Lyons Township
Summer of 2023: Played for Denmark at the U18 European Championship, averaging 8.1 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists as the Danes took 13th place out of 16 teams … Led Denmark with 19 points in its Round of 16 loss to eventual tournament champion (and tourney host) Serbia … Had 10 points in a win over Finland in the consolation round.
 
High School: Lettered twice in basketball, served as captain senior year under head coach Tom Sloan … Helped Lyons Township to 52-12 record across the two seasons and a pair of Illinois High School Association (IHSA) 4A Regional championships … Team also won championships at Thanksgiving Tournament (2022, 2023) and the Burlington MLK Classic (2022, 2023) … Holds program records for three-pointers in a game (7), season (91), and career (162) … Team MVP as a senior when he averaged 16.5 points, six rebounds, 3.5 assists and two blocks per game … As a junior, led LT in three-pointers and blocked shots … As a senior, named second-team 4A all-state by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) and honorable mention all-state by the Associated Press (AP) … First-team all-area by Suburban Life as a senior … Two-time West Suburban All-Conference … Two-time Jack Tosh Holiday Classic All Tournament … Two-time Burlington MLK Classic All Tournament … LT Thanksgiving All-Tournament as a senior … Also played for Breakaway Basketball since 2019, winning three NY2LA Tournaments and a UA Rise regular-season championship … Honor Roll all four years … High Honors Graduate … Lyons Township Honor Medal.
 
Personal: Son of Marianne and Steve Polonowski … Father played college basketball at Michigan State—captaining the Spartans in 1996-97—then played professionally in Ireland and Germany … Uncle, John Polonowski, played college basketball at Marquette … Enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences.
 
Why Penn? "Penn's equilibrium between basketball and academics is what stood out to me in the first place. My father had the same college recruiting process when he was my age. He told me when I was at the right college, I would just feel it. When I stepped on campus at Penn, I had that feeling right away. The coaches, team, professors, and everything at Penn felt like something I want to be a part of. The family atmosphere had me eager to call Penn home for the next four years."