NCAA Basketball: Top 10 impact head coaching hires from 2008 offseason

6. Dave Paulsen (Bucknell)

Even before 2008, Bucknell was a pretty solid basketball program. They had spent the beginning of the century competing for Patriot League titles on a regular basis, but now the program had a tough decision to make. Coach Pat Flannery had just retired after more than a decade with the Bison, though his final season was certainly a step in the wrong direction. Could the next head coach keep this momentum going?

Dave Paulsen was no stranger to coaching or winning cultures. He spent time on D1 staffs at Michigan and Cleveland State before beginning his head coaching career at the D3 level. He led the basketball programs at St. Lawrence and Le Moyne before taking over his alma mater Williams, leading that program to a D3 national championship in 2003. Simply put, Paulsen was ready for another greater challenge.

Success didn’t come overnight, but it did come back to Bucknell. Paulsen led the Bison to four Patriot League regular season titles and took them twice back to the NCAA Tournament. He won nearly 70% of conference games, winning at least 25 total games three straight seasons. Paulsen’s success led him to George Mason (less successful), but he clearly established that winning culture at Bucknell once more.