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Dave Paulsen

Dave Paulsen
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamHoly Cross
ConferencePatriot League
Record14–26 (.350)
Biographical details
Born (1964-09-14) September 14, 1964 (age 60)
Playing career
1983–1987Williams
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1988–1989Williams (assistant)
1989–1990Michigan (assistant)
1990–1994Cleveland State (assistant)
1994–1997St. Lawrence
1997–2000Le Moyne
2000–2008Williams
2008–2015Bucknell
2015–2021George Mason
2022–2023Fordham (assistant)
2023–presentHoly Cross
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
2021–2022Fordham (Special Adv.)
Head coaching record
Overall505–331 (.604)
Tournaments0–2 (NCAA D1)
11–5 (NCAA D3)
1–2 (NIT)
0–1 (CBI)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
NCAA Division III tournament (2003)
2 NCAA Division III Final Four (2003, 2004)
UCAA regular season (1997)
NNE10 regular season (1998)
ECAC New England (2001)
2 NESCAC regular season (2003, 2004)
3 NESCAC tournament (2003, 2004, 2007)
4 Patriot League regular season (2011–2013, 2015)
2 Patriot League tournament (2011, 2013)
Awards
NABC D-III National Coach of the Year (2003, 2004)
2× NABC D-III New England Coach of the Year (1996, 2003)
2× UCAA Coach of the Year (1996, 1997)
3× NESCAC Coach of the Year (2003, 2004, 2007)
2× Patriot League Coach of the Year (2011, 2012)

Dave Paulsen (born September 14, 1964) is an American college basketball coach who is currently the head coach at Holy Cross. Previously, he was the head men's basketball coach at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Before arriving at George Mason, he was previously the head coach at Bucknell University for seven seasons. Prior to Bucknell, he spent eight years as the head coach at his alma mater, Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, and also coached at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, and Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York.

Coaching career

At Williams College, Paulsen won the NCAA Division III title in 2003,[1] and finished as national runner up in 2004.[2] Paulsen was twice named Division III Coach of the Year during his time at Williams.[3]

On May 20, 2008, Paulsen was hired as head coach at Bucknell.[4] Paulsen led the Bison to a disappointing 7–23 record in his first year at Bucknell. This constituted the school's worst winning percentage (.233) since the 1971–72 season when the Bison posted a mark of 5–18 (.217).[5] In his second year, the Bison improved to 12–17, including a 9–5 record in Patriot League play. In his third year, Paulsen was named Patriot League Coach of the Year en route to leading his team to a 25–8 record heading into the NCAA tournament, including a 13–1 record in the Patriot League, culminating in both the regular season and Patriot League tournament championships.

During his time at Bucknell, Paulsen recruited and coached future NBA player Mike Muscala.

On March 30, 2015, Paulsen was hired as head coach of George Mason.[6] His team struggled in his first year, finishing the season with an overall record of 11–21, 5–13 in conference and in thirteenth place in the Atlantic 10. His second year at George Mason saw the team significantly improve, finishing 20–14 overall and 9–9 in A–10 play, and receiving an invitation to the 2017 CBI, where they would lose in the first round to Loyola (MD).

Paulsen returned to the Patriot League when he was appointed head coach at the College of the Holy Cross on March 28, 2023.[7]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
St. Lawrence Saints (Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association) (1994–1997)
1994–95 St. Lawrence 10–15
1995–96 St. Lawrence 18–9 NCAA Division III Second Round
1996–97 St. Lawrence 22–4 1st NCAA Division III First Round
St. Lawrence: 50–28 (.641)
Le Moyne Dolphins (Northeast-10 Conference) (1997–2000)
1997–98 Le Moyne 20–8 14–6 T–1st
1998–99 Le Moyne 13–14 8–10 T–6th
1999–00 Le Moyne 9–17 2–16 10th
Le Moyne: 42–39 (.519) 24–32 (.429)
Williams Ephs (New England Small College Athletic Conference) (2000–2008)
2000–01 Williams 21–7 6–3 T–1st
2001–02 Williams 22–6 7–2 2nd NCAA Division III Second Round
2002–03 Williams 31–1 8–1 T–1st NCAA Division III champion
2003–04 Williams 30–2 9–0 1st NCAA Division III Runner-up
2004–05 Williams 16–9 4–5 T–5th
2005–06 Williams 17–8 5–4 T–5th
2006–07 Williams 16–12 6–3 T–3rd NCAA Division III First Round
2007–08 Williams 17–8 4–5 T–6th
Williams: 170–53 (.762) 49–23 (.681)
Bucknell Bison (Patriot League) (2008–2015)
2008–09 Bucknell 7–23 4–10 T–7th
2009–10 Bucknell 14–17 9–5 2nd
2010–11 Bucknell 25–9 13–1 1st NCAA Division I First Round
2011–12 Bucknell 25–10 12–2 1st NIT Second Round
2012–13 Bucknell 28–6 12–2 1st NCAA Division I First Round
2013–14 Bucknell 16–14 11–7 4th
2014–15 Bucknell 19–15 13–5 1st NIT First Round
Bucknell: 134–94 (.588) 60–88 (.405)
George Mason Patriots (Atlantic 10 Conference) (2015–2021)
2015–16 George Mason 11–21 5–13 T–12th
2016–17 George Mason 20–14 9–9 T–7th CBI First Round
2017–18 George Mason 16–17 9–9 T–5th
2018–19 George Mason 18–15 11–7 5th
2019–20 George Mason 17–15 5–13 12th
2020–21 George Mason 13–9 8–6 T–4th
George Mason: 95–91 (.511) 46–54 (.460)
Holy Cross Crusaders (Patriot League) (2023–present)
2023–24 Holy Cross 10–23 6–12 T–8th
2024–25 Holy Cross 4–3 0-0
Holy Cross: 14–26 (.350) 6–12 (.333)
Total: 505–331 (.604)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

  1. ^ "Williams gives Northeast its first title - D3hoops". www.d3hoops.com. 22 March 2003. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  2. ^ "Kalsow beats buzzer - D3hoops". www.d3hoops.com. 20 March 2004. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  3. ^ "Dave Paulsen Bio". gomason.com. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  4. ^ "Bucknell Names Dave Paulsen as Head Men's Basketball Coach - Patriot League Official Athletic Site". www.patriotleague.org. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  5. ^ "Bison Basketball History" (PDF). bucknell.edu. March 16, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-11-12. Retrieved 2009-03-16.
  6. ^ Goff, Steven (2015-03-30). "George Mason hires Bucknell's Dave Paulsen to replace Paul Hewitt". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  7. ^ "Holy Cross Names Dave Paulsen Head Men’s Basketball Coach," College of the Holy Cross Athletics, Tuesday, March 28, 2023. Retrieved March 28, 2023.