'We want to win championships. Make no mistake about it': HC introduces new men's basketball coach Dave Paulsen

WORCESTER — Holy Cross named Dave Paulsen its new men’s basketball coach late Tuesday afternoon, and about 12 hours later, Paulsen, who for the last two years was as an assistant at Fordham, was on a plane, eagerly looking forward to landing and spending Wednesday on the Holy Cross campus meeting one-on-one with HC’s returning players.

Before his introductory news conference Thursday at the Luth Athletic Complex, Paulsen visited Holy Cross legend Bob Cousy at his Worcester home.

“Bob Cousy’s house. Are you kidding me?” Paulsen said. “This is a program with so much tradition and heritage and success, and it’s just an honor to be part of that.”

The 58-year-old Paulsen, who led HC’s Patriot League rival Bucknell to two league titles and NCAA Tournament appearances during his seven years there and guided Williams to an NCAA Division 3 championship, is the 19^th coach in Holy Cross men’s basketball history.

“Dave distinguished himself,” Holy Cross associate vice president for intercollegiate athletics Kit Hughes said. “He not only met every criteria that we established, but he exceeded them. He is exactly what is needed at this moment in our history as a program.”

Paulsen replaces Brett Nelson, who went 27-84 in four seasons at Holy Cross.

Paulsen, who has 27 years of collegiate head coaching experience, also coached at St. Lawrence, Le Moyne and most recently George Mason. His overall record is 454-305. He is a three-time Patriot League Coach of the Year and a two-time Division 3 national Coach of the Year.

Paulsen, who guided Williams to a win over Holy Cross in 2004, said that before this week the only time he ever spent in Worcester was in the bus “going up and down the hill, usually in a blizzard in February,” while he was Bucknell’s coach from 2008-15.

Now, he and his wife Kathy, who was at Thursday’s news conference, will be looking in the area for their 15^th home in 31-plus years of marriage.

“And she hasn’t hit the transfer portal yet,” Paulsen said with a laugh. “I’m really, really blessed.”

Paulsen choked up a bit when he thanked Kathy, but stressed to the players assembled, “I’m going to be really tough.”

Holy Cross hasn’t had a winning season in nine years. Paulsen, who is HC’s fifth coach in 14 years, is committed to restoring HC’s winning tradition.

“We want to win championships,” Paulsen said. “Make no mistake about it. We want to be regionally relevant. We want to be nationally relevant.

“Being the most connected and cohesive group in the country, playing for Holy Cross and for each other,” Paulsen said. “I think if you do that, that’s a first step (to winning again).”

Paulsen said his HC teams will play with toughness, grit, resilience and joy.

“Quite frankly,” Paulsen said, “some of the films I watched last year, you didn’t see a lot of joy on the court. We’re going to restore the joy. We’re going to restore the winning. We’re going to play with passion and energy. We’re going to be a team that dives on the floor more than any team in the country. We’re going to take more charges, play with toughness and resilience and a unselfishness, because that’s what Holy Cross basketball has been and what we’re going to be about.

“If you concentrate on the right things,” Paulsen said, “then I think the length of time (it will take to win again) is a little bit shorter than people think.”

Hughes said the prioritized hiring criteria included past head coaching experience, a connection to the area and the Patriot League, a deep understanding of Holy Cross and its mission, and an appreciation of what makes HC and its basketball program special.

“We looked for someone with a track record of successfully building championship caliber teams and people,” Hughes said.

Paulsen’s track record jumped out immediately, Hughes said.

“Looking at Dave from the beginning,” Hughes said, “we had a lot of belief in him and excitement about him. We were committed to running a really thorough and competitive process, and that’s what we did. At the end of it, he was still there and still excited and engaged. At that point, it was clear he exceeded everything we were looking for, and we were excited to bring him here to Holy Cross.”

HC basketball alumni Lorn Davis (Class of 1990) and Ronnie Perry (’80) were among those that assisted with the search process.

“What really stood out was Dave’s enthusiasm, passion and successful track record,” Perry said. “You got the strong feeling he also understood Holy Cross and what Holy Cross has meant to a lot of athletes and what it means going forward.”

On Wednesday, Paulsen met one-on-one with each returning player for 30 minutes. He scheduled a team meeting for later Thursday.

“They are bright, articulate and dedicated young men,” Paulsen said, “exactly the types of guys I want to coach. Talking with these guys, they’re committed to each other, and I think they really feel connected to Holy Cross.”

More than 12 players have left the HC program since the end of the 2019-20 season. Guard Bo Montgomery, who averaged 11.3 points per game last season, recently entered the transfer portal.

“It’s too early to know what’s going to happen (with the roster),” Paulsen said. “I would hope and believe that we’re going to see great continuity with the returning guys.”

Fordham went 25-8 this season, and Paulsen said the Rams’ success galvanized the university and Rose Hill Gymnasium.

He expects the Crusaders will do the same on the Holy Cross campus, in the Worcester community and in the Hart Center.

“When you play hard and dive on the floor and play with emotion,” Paulsen said, “when you do that, winning takes care of itself, and fan support and excitement takes care of itself. That’s the goal, and we hope that will happen really, really quickly.”

—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @JenTolandTG.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Holy Cross introduces new men's basketball coach Dave Paulsen