The Ivy League has a strong athletic and academic tradition. The athletes at all of its schools often have to fulfill equally demanding expectations both on the field and in the classroom. Penn is no exception to this standard, as its athletes have a noted history of accumulating athletic honors while donning the Red and Blue before moving on to successful professional careers.
From working in a variety of industries in the business world to staying involved with the sport they starred in at Penn, the network of former Quakers reaches across many states, industries, and occupations. Here’s a look at some of Penn’s most notable athletic alumni and where they are now.
Michael “Mike” Jordan - men's basketball, 1996-2000
Jordan had a successful career as a point guard with the Quakers in the late 1990s. He was named the Ivy League Player of the Year in 1999-2000 in his senior year with Penn. After his time with the Quakers, Jordan played overseas professionally for over a decade before finding his way into coaching. Jordan started his collegiate basketball coaching career at Colgate, where he served as an assistant coach from 2012-2020. Recently, Jordan continued his coaching climb when he accepted his current position as an assistant coach with Drexel.
Ugonna Onyekwe - men's basketball, 1999-2003
Onyekwe came to Penn a few years after Jordan, yet was able to replicate Jordan’s success on the court. The former Quaker forward was a two-time Ivy League Player of the Year winner and was the Ivy League Rookie of the Year in his freshman season. Following his career with the Red and Blue, Onyekwe took to playing overseas for several years before retiring in 2011.
After his playing career ended, Onyekwe began his professional life as a real estate salesperson before founding his own company. Now, Onyekwe serves as a studio assistant with Artist Publishing Group, a record label targeting modern, entrepreneurial artists.
Leah Allen - softball, 2013-2017
Allen is one of the Quakers’ most notable softball alumni. The 2017 Ivy League Player of the Year and two-time first-team All-Ivy selection finished her career atop the record books in a multitude of categories. Allen is the program’s leader in stolen bases, triples, home runs, and RBIs. She is also second in hits and fourth in runs and at bats. Following graduation, Allen entered the human resources field as an HR Generalist with Chewy. After three years with the pet industry e-commerce giant, Allen moved to an HR role with Fetch Package, a company dedicated to solving the problem of delivering packages to apartments.
Pat Goodwillie - football, 1992-1996
Goodwillie, the 1994 Ivy League Player of the Year, helped the Quakers win back-to-back Ivy League titles in his time at Franklin Field. Now a member of the Penn Athletics Hall of Fame, Goodwillie continues to stay atop Penn’s football record book. A graduate of The Wharton School, Goodwillie now works in finance. He owns and serves as a portfolio manager at JPG Capital, a global funds placement and strategic advisory firm in Chicago.
Chris Wynn - football, 2006-2009
Wynn was a defensive back and kick returner for the Quakers in the late 2000s who helped the Quakers in multiple facets of the game. Wynn is a former first-team All-Ivy winner who also won the Edgar Church Memorial Award and the George Munger Award. After his successful on-field career, Wynn used his finance degree from Wharton to pursue a career in financial services with Bank of America Merrill Lynch. After a decade with the company, Wynn moved to Morgan Stanley in late 2020, where he now works in high-yield sales.
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
Donate