Eric Brod
Senior Writer
The man who has guided the men’s basketball program to three straight Patriot League regular season championships and two league tournament championships in the last three years is returning to Lewisburg for at least five more years. On March 28, men’s basketball head coach Dave Paulsen signed a five-year contract extension that runs through the 2017-18 season. Paulsen was named head coach on May 20, 2008. Before becoming head coach of the Bison, Paulsen compiled a 170-53 record at his alma mater Williams College, leading them to the Division III national championship in 2003.
In his first five years at the helm for the Orange and Blue, Paulsen has compiled a 99-65 (.604) record. The 99 wins are currently fourth most in program history and his .604 win percentage is second-best all time in program history. In his first five seasons, Paulsen has led the Bison to three regular season league championships, two tournament championships and two NCAA tournament berths, including an 11-seed in this year’s East regional. In 2012, the Bison knocked off the Arizona Wildcats in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The team’s 28 wins this year set a new Patriot League record.
On top of signing a contract extension, Paulsen was named the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) District 13 Co-Coach of the Year. The Orange and Blue finished with a 28-6 overall record, including a 12-2 record in league play en route to their third straight regular season Patriot League Championship, and won the league tournament for the second time in three years. He shared the District 13 award with Harvard’s Tommy Amaker.
With Paulsen part of the Bison’s future, the Sojka Psychos and Bison faithful should be in for more exciting basketball in the years to come.
