Dave Paulsen

Dave Paulsen (born September 14, 1964)

Current position: Head men’s basketball coach
Current team: Holy Cross Crusaders
Current conference: Patriot League
St. Lawrence record: 50-28 (.641)
Le Moyne record: 42-39 (.519)
Williams record: 170-53 (.762)
Bucknell record: 134-94 (.588)
George Mason record: 58-91 (.389) **
Holy Cross record: 10-23 (.303)
Overall record^: 464-328 (.586) **

Career Accomplishments:

• NCAA National Championships:  0
• NCAA Tournament Appearances:  2  (2011, 2013)
• NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen:  0
• NIT Championships:  0
• NIT Appearances:  2  (2012, 2015)
• CBI Appearances:  1  (2017)
• Patriot League Regular Season Champion:  4  (2011, 2012, 2013, 2015)
• NESCAC (Div III) Regular Season Champion:  2  (2003, 2004)
• NE-10 (Div II) Regular Season Champion:  1  (1998)
• UCAA (Div III) Regular Season Champion:  1  (1997)
• Patriot League Tournament Champion:  2  (2011, 2013)
• NESCAC (Div III) Tournament Champion:  2  (2003, 2004, 2007)
• NCAA Division III National Championships:  1  (2003)   
• NCAA Division III Tournament Appearances:  6  (1996, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007)
• NCAA Division III Tournament Final Four:  2  (2003, 2004)

Awards:

• Patriot League Coach of the Year:  3  (2011, 2012, 2015)
• NABC Div III Coach of the Year:  2  (2003, 2004)
• NESCAC (Div III) Coach of the Year:  3  (2003, 2004, 2007)
• UCAA (Div III) Coach of the Year:  2  (1996, 1997)

Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):

2023-present	Holy Cross
2022-2023	Fordham (asst)
2021-2022	Fordham (advisor)
2015-2021	George Mason
2008-2015	Bucknell
2000-2008	Williams
1997-2000	Le Moyne
1994-1997	St. Lawrence
1990-1994	Cleveland State (asst)
1989-1990	Michigan (asst)
1988-1989	Williams (asst)

Dave Paulsen Facts

• Dave Paulsen
• Born September 14, 1964
• Hometown: Wausau, Wisconsin
• Alma Mater: Williams College (BA, 1987) / University of Michigan (MA, 1990)
• Was an assistant for one season under Harry Sheehy at D-III Hamilton, then moved up to the D-I level where he worked at Michigan for one season under Steve Fisher and at Cleveland State for four seasons under Mike Boyd
• Spent fourteen seasons as a head coach at the D-III level, with stints at St. Lawrence (50-28 over three seasons), Le Moyne (42-39 over three) and back at Williams College (170-53 in eight seasons)
  • Won the 2003 NCAA D-III National Championship with Williams and was Runner-Up the year after
  • Earned five coach of the year awards – two in the UCAA and three in the NESCAC
• Returned to Division I in 2008 as the head coach at Bucknell
  • Won 134 games and went to the postseason four times (2 NCAA, 2 NIT) in seven years
  • Recruited and coached 2x Patriot League POY and 2013 NBA Draft pick Mike Muscala
• Hired in March 2015 as the new head coach at George Mason
  • Took the Patriots to the 2017 CBI in his second season
  • In March 2021, Paulsen was fired after six seasons at the helm; was 95-91 overall, but 37 wins were later vacated by the NCAA
• Paulsen spent the 2021-22 as a special advisor to Kyle Neptune at Fordham and then in June 2022 was elevated to assistant coach with the Rams by new head coach Keith Urgo
• Made his return to the Patriot League in March 2023 when he was hired to be the new head coach at Holy Cross

Dave Paulsen Coaching Tree

• Tobin Anderson (Iona, Fairleigh Dickinson, St. Thomas Aquinas, Hamilton, Clarkson)
• Pat Duquette (UMass Lowell)
• Dane Fischer (William & Mary)
• Aaron Kelly (Catholic U)
• Josh Loeffler (Loyola MD, Johns Hopkins, Stevens)
• Duane Simpkins (American)
• Eric Skeeters (Delaware State)
• Tim Sweeney (Connecticut College, Hobart College)

 

^ overall record includes head coaching positions at the NCAA Division I, Division II and Division III levels; Le Moyne was a Division II program during Paulsen’s tenure there

** Listed records and accomplishments for this coach do not include wins or appearances later vacated by the NCAA