Dave Paulsen
{{short description|American college basketball coach (born 1964)}}
{{other people|David Paulsen}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Dave Paulsen
| image = Dave Paulsen Holy Cross head basketball coach.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Paulsen in 2025
| current_title = Head coach
| current_team = Holy Cross
| current_conference = Patriot League
| current_record = {{winpct|23|42|record=y}}
| contract =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1964|9|14}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater =
| player_years1 = 1983–1987
| player_team1 = Williams
| coach_years1 = 1988–1989
| coach_team1 = Williams (assistant)
| coach_years2 = 1989–1990
| coach_team2 = Michigan (assistant)
| coach_years3 = 1990–1994
| coach_team3 = Cleveland State (assistant)
| coach_years4 = 1994–1997
| coach_team4 = St. Lawrence
| coach_years5 = 1997–2000
| coach_team5 = Le Moyne
| coach_years6 = 2000–2008
| coach_team6 = Williams
| coach_years7 = 2008–2015
| coach_team7 = Bucknell
| coach_years8 = 2015–2021
| coach_team8 = George Mason
| admin_years1 = 2021–2022
| admin_team1 = Fordham (Special Adv.)
| coach_years9 = 2022–2023
| coach_team9 = Fordham (assistant)
| coach_years10 = 2023–present
| coach_team10 = Holy Cross
| overall_record = {{winpct|514|347|record=y}}
| bowl_record =
| tournament_record = 0–2 (NCAA D1)
11–5 (NCAA D3)
1–2 (NIT)
0–1 (CBI)
| 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 = 2× 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)
| coaching_records =
}}
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,{{Cite journal|url=http://www.d3hoops.com/archives/men/2003/2003-mbb-title-game-story|title=Williams gives Northeast its first title - D3hoops|website=www.d3hoops.com|date=March 22, 2003 |access-date=March 10, 2016}} and finished as national runner up in 2004.{{Cite journal|url=http://www.d3hoops.com/archives/men/2004/2004-mbb-title-game-story|title=Kalsow beats buzzer - D3hoops|website=www.d3hoops.com|date=March 20, 2004 |access-date=March 10, 2016}} Paulsen was twice named Division III Coach of the Year during his time at Williams.{{Cite web|url=http://www.gomason.com/coaches.aspx?rc=460&path=mbball|title=Dave Paulsen Bio|website=gomason.com|access-date=March 10, 2016}}
On May 20, 2008, Paulsen was hired as head coach at Bucknell.{{Cite web|url=http://www.patriotleague.org/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/052008aac.html|title=Bucknell Names Dave Paulsen as Head Men's Basketball Coach - Patriot League Official Athletic Site|website=www.patriotleague.org|access-date=March 10, 2016}} 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).{{cite web |url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/buck/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/08-09MGMBBInside5.pdf |title=Bison Basketball History |accessdate=March 16, 2009 |publisher=bucknell.edu |date=March 16, 2009 |archive-date=November 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112064858/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/buck/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/08-09MGMBBInside5.pdf |url-status=dead }} 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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/george-mason-hires-dave-paulsen-from-bucknell/2015/03/30/2934c42c-d717-11e4-bf0b-f648b95a6488_story.html|title=George Mason hires Bucknell's Dave Paulsen to replace Paul Hewitt|last=Goff|first=Steven|date=March 30, 2015|newspaper=The Washington Post|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286|access-date=March 10, 2016}} 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.[https://goholycross.com/news/2023/3/28/mens-basketball-holy-cross-names-dave-paulsen-head-coach.aspx "Holy Cross Names Dave Paulsen Head Men’s Basketball Coach," College of the Holy Cross Athletics, Tuesday, March 28, 2023.] Retrieved March 28, 2023.
Head coaching record
{{CBB Yearly Record Start|type=coach|conference=|postseason=|poll=}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = St. Lawrence Saints
| conference= Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association
| startyear = 1994
| endyear = 1997
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1994–95
| name = St. Lawrence
| overall = 10–15
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1995–96
| name = St. Lawrence
| overall = 18–9
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason = NCAA Division III Second Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 1996–97
| name = St. Lawrence
| overall = 22–4
| conference =
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = NCAA Division III First Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = St. Lawrence
| overall = {{winpct|50|28|record=y}}
| confrecord =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Le Moyne Dolphins
| conference = Northeast-10 Conference
| startyear = 1997
| endyear = 2000
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1997–98
| name = Le Moyne
| overall = 20–8
| conference = 14–6
| confstanding = T–2nd
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1998–99
| name = Le Moyne
| overall = 13–14
| conference = 8–10
| confstanding = T–6th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1999–00
| name = Le Moyne
| overall = 9–17
| conference = 2–16
| confstanding = 10th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Le Moyne
| overall = {{winpct|42|39|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{winpct|24|32|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Williams Ephs
| conference= New England Small College Athletic Conference
| startyear = 2000
| endyear = 2008
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = division
| season = 2000–01
| name = Williams
| overall = 21–7
| conference = 6–3
| confstanding = T–1st
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2001–02
| name = Williams
| overall = 22–6
| conference = 7–2
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason = NCAA Division III Second Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = national
| season = 2002–03
| name = Williams
| overall = 31–1
| conference = 8–1
| confstanding = T–1st
| postseason = NCAA Division III champion
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = confboth
| season = 2003–04
| name = Williams
| overall = 30–2
| conference = 9–0
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = NCAA Division III Runner-up
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2004–05
| name = Williams
| overall = 16–9
| conference = 4–5
| confstanding = T–5th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2005–06
| name = Williams
| overall = 17–8
| conference = 5–4
| confstanding = T–5th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference tournament
| season = 2006–07
| name = Williams
| overall = 16–12
| conference = 6–3
| confstanding = T–3rd
| postseason = NCAA Division III First Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2007–08
| name = Williams
| overall = 17–8
| conference = 4–5
| confstanding = T–6th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Williams
| overall = {{winpct|170|53|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{winpct|49|23|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Bucknell Bison
| conference= Patriot League
| startyear = 2008
| endyear = 2015
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2008–09
| name = Bucknell
| overall = 7–23
| conference = 4–10
| confstanding = T–7th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2009–10
| name = Bucknell
| overall = 14–17
| conference = 9–5
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = confboth
| season = 2010–11
| name = Bucknell
| overall = 25–9
| conference = 13–1
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = NCAA Division I First Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 2011–12
| name = Bucknell
| overall = 25–10
| conference = 12–2
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = NIT Second Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = confboth
| season = 2012–13
| name = Bucknell
| overall = 28–6
| conference = 12–2
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = NCAA Division I First Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2013–14
| name = Bucknell
| overall = 16–14
| conference = 11–7
| confstanding = 4th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 2014–15
| name = Bucknell
| overall = 19–15
| conference = 13–5
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = NIT First Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name=Bucknell
| overall= {{winpct|134|94|record=y}}
| confrecord={{winpct|60|88|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = George Mason Patriots
| conference= Atlantic 10 Conference
| startyear = 2015
| endyear = 2021
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2015–16
| name = George Mason
| overall = 11–21
| conference = 5–13
| confstanding = T–12th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2016–17
| name = George Mason
| overall = 20–14
| conference = 9–9
| confstanding = T–7th
| postseason = CBI First Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2017–18
| name = George Mason
| overall = 16–17
| conference = 9–9
| confstanding = T–5th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2018–19
| name = George Mason
| overall = 18–15
| conference = 11–7
| confstanding = 5th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2019–20
| name = George Mason
| overall = 17–15
| conference = 5–13
| confstanding = 12th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2020–21
| name = George Mason
| overall = 13–9
| conference = 8–6
| confstanding = T–4th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = George Mason
| overall = {{winpct|95|91|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{winpct|46|54|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Holy Cross Crusaders
| conference= Patriot League
| startyear = 2023
| endyear =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2023–24
| name = Holy Cross
| overall = 10–23
| conference = 6–12
| confstanding = T–8th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2024–25
| name = Holy Cross
| overall = 13–19
| conference = 5–13
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Holy Cross
| overall = {{winpct|23|42|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{winpct|11|25|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record End
| overall= {{winpct|514|347|record=y}}
}}
{{commonscat|Dave Paulsen}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://gomason.com/coaches.aspx?rc=589&path=mbball George Mason profile]
{{Patriot League men's basketball coach navbox}}
{{Navboxes|list=
{{Le Moyne Dolphins men's basketball coach navbox}}
{{Bucknell Bison men's basketball coach navbox}}
{{George Mason Patriots men's basketball coach navbox}}
{{Holy Cross Crusaders men's basketball coach navbox}}
{{Patriot League Men's Basketball Coach of the Year navbox}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Paulsen, Dave}}
Category:American men's basketball coaches
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:Bucknell Bison men's basketball coaches
Category:Cleveland State Vikings men's basketball coaches
Category:College men's basketball head coaches in the United States
Category:George Mason Patriots men's basketball coaches
Category:Holy Cross Crusaders men's basketball coaches
Category:Le Moyne Dolphins men's basketball coaches
Category:Michigan Wolverines men's basketball coaches
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:St. Lawrence Saints men's basketball coaches
Category:Williams Ephs men's basketball coaches