View source for 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 Crusaders men's basketball|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 Ephs men's basketball|Williams]]
| coach_years1       = 1988–1989
| coach_team1        = [[Williams Ephs men's basketball|Williams]] (assistant)
| coach_years2       = 1989–1990
| coach_team2        = [[Michigan Wolverines men's basketball|Michigan]] (assistant)
| coach_years3       = 1990–1994
| coach_team3        = [[Cleveland State Vikings men's basketball|Cleveland State]] (assistant)
| coach_years4       = 1994–1997
| coach_team4        = [[St. Lawrence Saints men's basketball|St. Lawrence]]
| coach_years5       = 1997–2000
| coach_team5        = [[Le Moyne Dolphins men's basketball|Le Moyne]]
| coach_years6       = 2000–2008
| coach_team6        = Williams
| coach_years7       = 2008–2015
| coach_team7        = [[Bucknell Bison men's basketball|Bucknell]]
| coach_years8       = 2015–2021
| coach_team8        = [[George Mason Patriots men's basketball|George Mason]]
| admin_years1       = 2021–2022
| admin_team1        = [[Fordham Rams men's basketball|Fordham]] (Special Adv.)
| coach_years9       = 2022–2023
| coach_team9        = [[Fordham Rams men's basketball|Fordham]] (assistant)
| coach_years10      = 2023–present
| coach_team10       = [[Holy Cross Crusaders men's basketball|Holy Cross]]
| overall_record     = {{winpct|514|347|record=y}}
| bowl_record        = 
| tournament_record  = 0–2 ([[NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|NCAA D1]])<br>11–5 ([[NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament|NCAA D3]])<br>1–2 ([[National Invitation Tournament|NIT]])<br>0–1 ([[College Basketball Invitational|CBI]])
| championships      = [[NCAA Men's Division III Basketball Championship|NCAA Division III tournament]] (2003)<br />2 NCAA Division III Final Four (2003, 2004)<br />[[Liberty League|UCAA]] regular season (1997)<br/>[[Northeast-10 Conference|NNE10]] regular season (1998)<br />[[Eastern College Athletic Conference|ECAC]] New England (2001)<br />2 [[New England Small College Athletic Conference|NESCAC]] regular season (2003, 2004)<br />3 [[NESCAC men's basketball tournament|NESCAC tournament]] (2003, 2004, 2007)<br />4 [[Patriot League]] regular season (2011–2013, 2015)<br />2 [[Patriot League men's basketball tournament|Patriot League tournament]] ([[2011 Patriot League men's basketball tournament|2011]], [[2013 Patriot League men's basketball tournament|2013]])
| awards             = 2× [[National Association of Basketball Coaches|NABC]] D-III National Coach of the Year (2003, 2004)<br />2× NABC D-III New England Coach of the Year (1996, 2003)<br />2× UCAA Coach of the Year (1996, 1997)<br />3× NESCAC Coach of the Year (2003, 2004, 2007)<br />2× Patriot League Coach of the Year (2011, 2012)
| coaching_records   = 
}}
[[File:Dave Paulsen GMU.jpg|thumb|upright=.8|Paulsen at George Mason in 2018]]
'''Dave Paulsen''' (born September 14, 1964) is an American [[college basketball]] coach who is currently the head coach at [[College of the Holy Cross|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 (village), New York|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,<ref>{{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}}</ref> and finished as national runner up in [[2004 in sports|2004]].<ref>{{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}}</ref>  Paulsen was twice named [[NCAA Division III|Division III]] Coach of the Year during his time at Williams.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

On May 20, 2008, Paulsen was hired as head coach at Bucknell.<ref>{{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}}</ref> 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).<ref>{{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 }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{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}}</ref> 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 College Basketball Invitational|2017 CBI]], where they would lose in the first round to [[2016-17 Loyola Greyhounds men's basketball team|Loyola (MD)]].

Paulsen returned to the [[Patriot League]] when he was appointed head coach at the [[Holy Cross Crusaders men's basketball|College of the Holy Cross]] on March 28, 2023.<ref>[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.</ref>

==Head coaching record==
{{CBB Yearly Record Start|type=coach|conference=|postseason=|poll=}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[St. Lawrence Saints men's basketball|St. Lawrence Saints]]
 | conference= [[Liberty League|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 men's basketball tournament|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 men's basketball tournament|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 men's basketball|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 men's basketball|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 men's basketball tournament|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 men's basketball tournament|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 men's basketball tournament|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   = [[2007 NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament|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 men's basketball|Bucknell Bison]]
 | conference= [[Patriot League]]
 | startyear = 2008
 | endyear   = 2015
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[2008–09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2008–09]]
 | name         = Bucknell
 | overall      = 7–23
 | conference   = 4–10
 | confstanding = T–7th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[2009–10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2009–10]]
 | name         = Bucknell
 | overall      = 14–17
 | conference   = 9–5
 | confstanding = 2nd
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = confboth
 | season       = [[2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2010–11]]
 | name         = [[2010–11 Bucknell Bison men's basketball team|Bucknell]]
 | overall      = 25–9
 | conference   = 13–1
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = [[2011 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|NCAA Division I First Round]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | season       = [[2011–12 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2011–12]]
 | name         = [[2011–12 Bucknell Bison men's basketball team|Bucknell]]
 | overall      = 25–10
 | conference   = 12–2
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = [[2012 National Invitation Tournament|NIT Second Round]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = confboth
 | season       = [[2012–13 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2012–13]]
 | name         = [[2012–13 Bucknell Bison men's basketball team|Bucknell]]
 | overall      = 28–6
 | conference   = 12–2
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = [[2013 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|NCAA Division I First Round]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[2013–14 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2013–14]]
 | name         = [[2013–14 Bucknell Bison men's basketball team|Bucknell]]
 | overall      = 16–14
 | conference   = 11–7
 | confstanding = 4th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | season       = [[2014–15 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2014–15]]
 | name         = [[2014–15 Bucknell Bison men's basketball team|Bucknell]]
 | overall      = 19–15
 | conference   = 13–5
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = [[2015 National Invitation Tournament|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 men's basketball|George Mason Patriots]]
 | conference= [[Atlantic 10 Conference]]
 | startyear = 2015
 | endyear   = 2021
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2015–16]]
 | name         = [[2015–16 George Mason Patriots men's basketball team|George Mason]]
 | overall      = 11–21
 | conference   = 5–13
 | confstanding = T–12th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2016–17]]
 | name         = [[2016–17 George Mason Patriots men's basketball team|George Mason]]
 | overall      = 20–14
 | conference   = 9–9
 | confstanding = T–7th
 | postseason   = [[2017 College Basketball Invitational|CBI First Round]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2017–18]]
 | name         = [[2017–18 George Mason Patriots men's basketball team|George Mason]]
 | overall      = 16–17
 | conference   = 9–9
 | confstanding = T–5th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[2018–19 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2018–19]]
 | name         = [[2018–19 George Mason Patriots men's basketball team|George Mason]]
 | overall      = 18–15
 | conference   = 11–7
 | confstanding = 5th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[2019–20 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2019–20]]
 | name         = [[2019–20 George Mason Patriots men's basketball team|George Mason]]
 | overall      = 17–15
 | conference   = 5–13
 | confstanding = 12th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2020–21]]
 | name         = [[2020–21 George Mason Patriots men's basketball team|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 men's basketball|Holy Cross Crusaders]]
 | conference= Patriot League
 | startyear = 2023
 | endyear   =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[2023–24 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2023–24]]
 | name         = [[2023–24 Holy Cross Crusaders men's basketball team|Holy Cross]]
 | overall      = 10–23
 | conference   = 6–12
 | confstanding = T–8th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[2024–25 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2024–25]]
 | name         = [[2024–25 Holy Cross Crusaders men's basketball team|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}}
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}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Paulsen, Dave}}
[[Category:1964 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[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]]
[[Category:Williams Ephs men's basketball players]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]