April 1, 2015

Ángel Cabrera, George Mason President

Opening Statement

Good morning Mason Nation, what a great day.

This is a tremendously exciting day for this University and our entire community to announce the hiring of a very important position in a University like ours: the head coach of our flagship sport.

As you will see in a minute, and I know you have had a chance to look at his background, we've hired a terrific coach and a terrific teacher. He is someone who has won at every level of NCAA basketball.  A coach whose players by the way, have not only been successful on the court, but he has had some of the highest graduation rates and academic success in the country.  And he is a coach who we know will attract, develop, nurture and lead our talented players and more to come.

On basketball amplifying George Mason

For George Mason, basketball is the front door to our university. It is what many people see first. So the brighter the spotlight on our basketball team, the brighter the spotlight is also on our faculty and the tremendous work they do. On the research. On the diversity of our students. On the awards our faculty receive day in and day out.

Basketball amplifies what we are and what we do: A world-class public research university that can be a slam dunk on the basketball court just like we are in all of our learning environments.

A vibrant basketball program can….

Ignite a campus, which enhances the experience of our students, faculty and staff.

Ignite an alumni base, which benefits the entire university.

Ignite the surrounding community, and engage them with all the different things that happen on our campus.  

A vibrant basketball program can spark interest from prospective students from around the country and different parts of the world and the interest of new faculty.

This university is committed to a strong academic-athletics program. You've seen it in competition, with the shift to the Atlantic 10 Conference and with the Atlantic 10 titles that we won our first year in the league. You've seen it in improvements to our facilities and our projects that are on the way.

And you're seeing it today with the hiring of a new basketball coach whom we are absolutely delighted to welcome.

Closing Statement

According to the calendar, March Madness is at its end. Not for us. Today marks a beginning, an exciting new chapter in George Mason University men's basketball.

I think I speak for everyone in this arena when I say that November can't roll around soon enough. There's nothing like it when Doc Nix and the fantastic Green Machine get cranking, and when the Patriot Center becomes Mason Nation headquarters, two gloriously noisy hours at a time.  Welcome to Mason Nation, Coach Paulsen.

Brad Edwards, Assistant Vice President, Director of Athletics

Opening Statement

Good morning Mason Nation. It's great to be here with you and as always thank you for being here.  Thank you Dr. Cabrera, we really appreciate your leadership here with the institution. For me, it's been a wonderful nine months, and how all of you have welcomed me and I know we will all do the same for Coach Paulsen.  And as Dr. Cabrera said, it's an exciting day for George Mason University for many reasons. Certainly for a number of those that Dr. Cabrera so succinctly expressed a couple of minutes ago and it's exciting because this marks a new era. 

The dawn of a new era that is a part of a new evolution in George Mason University men's basketball and our journey into the Atlantic 10 Conference.  That evolution, that journey, while always centered around young people, certainly begins and ends with leadership.  As we know we have a rich and proud history and tradition here in the sport of basketball and without a doubt, a solid foundation has been built with which to springboard going forward. Our immediate mission, and we've been clear about this, is to take the program to the top of the Atlantic 10 Conference, which by definition and we all know, is one of the very best in the country.  And we want to do so with an exciting brand of basketball that is fundamentally strong.

One of the most important pieces of that strategy to fulfill that mission clearly begins with the head coach.  I am obviously talking about Dave Paulsen.  I pause and smile for a minute because he is a guy that makes me smile. He's a guy that's so full of energy and when you get to know him, you can't help but like the guy and really love him.  He just has that sense of charisma, that sense of energy and passion that is attractive to not only athletic directors, but to fans and student-athletes and you can certainly see why he is inspirational to young people and I am excited. 

On Dave Paulsen

We promised our young people that our student-athletes and our basketball players, we would get them better.  I clearly feel very confident that is going to be the case going forward.  Dave is going to be a fabulous and terrific fit here.  Not only is he a great guy obviously, he is one heck of a basketball coach.  I mean, here's a guy that as a head coach has won over 400 games as a sitting head coach and has done so with a winning percentage that's just under .700 percent.  He's a three-time Patriot League Conference Coach of the Year.  He took his team to post-season play in four out of the last five seasons with two NCAA tournament second round appearances and two NIT appearances.  He also is a skilled developer of talent, in which so he played a tremendous part in the development of a current and very dynamic NBA player, the Atlanta Hawks' Mike Muscala. 

Prior to Bucknell, as many of you have read, he was the head coach at Williams College, where he was no stranger to success, winning the NCAA Division III National Championship.  With all that said, and Dr. Cabrera mentioned and touched on this, that he is a teacher.  That is evidenced, not only by the academic success and performance of his teams, but also the way he's role modeled it himself.  He's a Phi Beta Kappa graduate at Williams College where he graduated with departmental honors in history and he went on to earn his master's degree at the University of Michigan.  He's a tremendous teacher, connecter with fans, but he's also a tremendous family man, as evidenced by his wonderful wife, Kathy and Sara and Molly, his daughters that are here with us.  So, without further ado, please join me Mason Nation in welcoming the new head men's basketball coach at George Mason University, Coach Dave Paulsen. 

Dave Paulsen, Head Coach Men's Basketball

Opening Statement

Thank you to everyone this is a really exciting day. I've got a lot of people I'd like to thank.  First I would like to thank my family, my wife Kathy, my daughters Molly and Sara; my oldest daughter Claire should be in class in college, but she is probably streaming this online. It's a hard thing to be a wife or child of a coach, a lot of late hours, a lot of travel, and a lot of ups and downs.  They have been behind me every step of the way and I just really appreciate you guys.

I want to thank President Cabrera and Brad Edwards. When I came on campus here and I came under an assumed name, I was “Barles Charkley” when I checked into the hotel.  When I came in on Friday and had a chance to meet with President Cabrera and get to know Brad more, I was just so impressed with our vision for George Mason and for the George Mason basketball program and the energy and the leadership and I am just very appreciative of the opportunity to be the next basketball coach here at George Mason; and we're going to do great things together. 

I'd be remised if I didn't thank my Director of Athletics at Bucknell, John Hardt and our President there John Bravman.  I had seven amazing years at Bucknell. John Hardt gave me the opportunity to be a Division I Head Coach.  The school and the athletic department provided the resources and the support and the infrastructure to last and have great success and I will be forever indebted to people there. 

I've been fortunate to be a head coach for 21 years and I've had so many assistant coaches at every step of the way who have helped me with recruiting, coaching, scouting, and who have helped guide my philosophy and supported me and I would like to thank everyone of those people who have been so instrumental in my development. 

The last group of people I would like to thank are the guys who played for me in my 21 years as a head coach.  One of the greatest moments of my life was at about 12:30 on Monday afternoon when I said I was going to accept the job here at George Mason and one of the hardest moments of my life was at 5:00 when our team got out of class and I met with our team at Bucknell to tell them I was moving on. 

On building relationships with student-athletes

The best part of my job is relationships I development with my student-athletes.  I was telling Dr. Cabrera on Friday that I have the best teaching atmosphere of anyone on campus because I'm with my guys two hours a day, six days a week, for four years.  Your favorite professor, you might have he or she in class two or three times during your academic career for an hour or two in a week.  You talk about education and teachable moments, I get my guys and we see their highest highs and we see their lowest lows.  How you handle success and how you handle frustration and adversity and the development of character and perseverance and all the things that are at the core of the educational mission of George Mason, I get to see these guys every single day. 

So I have been very blessed and spoiled with the guys that I have been able to coach.  Since I announced that I was going to leave and come to George Mason, I've been trying very hard to get back to the text messages that I have received from so many people, but so many players at every stop of the way are texting to say congrats and good luck.  The interesting things was, and Brad mentioned Mike Muscala – whose playing in the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks – I got a great text message from him, but some of the most meaningful text messages were from some of the guys who I wouldn't have necessarily expected would have texted me – that maybe didn't play as much as they thought they should have, maybe didn't have the type of role that they wanted, but understood that really it's about the process – it's about becoming as good as you can possibly be, individually and collectively - and it was a really important time in their life. 

On the Mason team

Next thing I want to address is to the guys here at George Mason, on the team – and I know a number of the guys are in class – guys, you didn't choose me, but I chose you.  I chose you because of your potential, because of your ability, and because we're going to build great things together.  There are going to be some bumps in the road because transitions are hard.  But there is great character, there's great potential, there's great resolve here and we're going to work together to put a team on the court that Mason Nation is proud of, to put a team in the classroom that Mason Nation is proud of, to be a team in the community that can galvanize this campus once again.  I am looking forward to meeting all you guys at 1:30 and practice tomorrow at 4:30. 

On draws to George Mason

Just a couple things that I will say, what drew me to George Mason is that I think this is a place that can really combine athletic and academic excellence.  There is a tradition of success next year that I would hope, and assume that we will celebrate in a huge way the 10-year anniversary of the 2006 team that went to the Final Four.  That group of people showed what can be created here, what can be sustained here. We've got everything we need to be at the top of the Atlantic 10 and to compete nationally.  We've got tradition, we've got resources, we got a great facility, we got an energized fan base, and we have a great location.  We are in the footprint of some of the very best high school students that this country has to offer and we are in the footprint of some of the very best high school basketball players that his country has to offer.  We are going to put a team on the floor that really represents Mason exceptionally well.

On what is George Mason basketball

We're going to have a team that plays tough, plays smart, that's skilled, that's fundamentally sound and with great character.  We are going to be a team that plays with passion and energy every single night.  We are going to be a team that really is a team, where every guy is excited for their teammate's successes and works together.  We are going to have a brand of basketball – where you say what is George Mason basketball? – Tough, smart, skilled, competitive, and high character.  I am going to build with the group of guys right here and the guys coming in. We are going to be incredibly vigilant, and visible, and vigorous in our recruiting efforts to get to know all the people in our geographical footprint and let them know what a great opportunity this is. 

I want high school coaches and AAU coaches and alumni to say that's a Mason player and that kid should go to Mason.  We're going to build that brand with the group right here and continue to extenuate that and to really put a program on the court that everyone can be proud of.

I couldn't be more excited to be the coach of Mason and I'm looking forward to meeting our guys at 1:30 and to meet our fans – it is so neat to see so many people that are supportive and excited and passionate – I love a passionate fan base.  People say “what is going to be the biggest adjustment?” – I went from having 4,000 assistant coaches in the stands every night to hopefully having 10,000 assistant coaches in the stands. 

Thanks so much, and we'll have questions now.

Dave, how long realistically does it take to build a winning team at such a high level? Obviously, this team has had a couple rough years. What are your immediate expectations and how long do you think it takes to become a highly competitive team in a tough conference?

You know, it would be really hard for me to put an exact timeline on that. I think the most important thing is to build a winning culture. And I think once you've established a winning culture, than the winning teams continue and follow behind that. I think that's one of the things. The first thing, I really want to get to meet the guys, I want to work with them to see where we're at. And there are certain things that define winning programs and culture is what wins. And so we want to re-establish that culture, reaffirm that culture and then everything flows from there.

I found that more games are lost than are won. We want to be a team that never beats itself, that's fundamentally sound, that's cohesive, that's coherent on the floor and if somebody comes into the Patriot Center, they've got to play out of their mind to beat us. We're not going to give the game away from our sake. And I think that's the first step and that step to re-establish your culture and re-establish a mindset that we're never going to beat ourselves, that can happen relatively quickly. A lot of that to be honest with you depends on the buy-in from the guys sitting in the second and third row. And if, and when, there is tremendous buy-in, then those results will come. Getting over the hump to be a national caliber basketball program…that may take a little more time. But I think the first step is that everyone identifies this is what the Mason program is about, these are the values and then I think that talent will continue to come and the existing talent will continue to be improved.

Dave, how long did you and the administration here speak before you guys made the decision? And at the end of last season, were you thinking about moving on from Bucknell at that point? Or what were your thoughts?

You know, I had an unbelievably great job at Bucknell -- a great place to live and raise a family. We started three freshmen on a team that won the Patriot League regular season championship and we had a fourth freshman who was our third or fourth leading scorer, so the nucleus was great. In the time that I've been there, a number of people through different parties have asked, 'Would you have an interest in that position or this position?' And there's been a lot that I said no, I wouldn't have an interest. When people asked, 'would you be interested in Mason?,' I knew what Mason was, I knew what Mason can become and I said, yea that's one that I'd be kicking myself if I didn't have initial conversations.

The whole process took roughly a week before the initial meeting with Brad [Edwards] and coming on campus on Friday and meeting with President Cabrera and some of the other people involved with the search.

Dave, any of your Bucknell assistant coaches who you would like to have join you here? Any of them that you would like to recommend as the new Bucknell head coach? Also, how did Division III shape you as a coach? You played and coached at that level.

Well, I'll answer your second question first. One of the things that was great in coaching at the Division III level, you have to do everything. You don't have the staff size and you have to be able to master all the traits involved in coaching. And so it really gave me a chance to learn every aspect of coaching. I think the other thing is, you know, you really have to develop your talent. And I think the most important thing, we want to recruit really, really, really good players. Let's make no mistake about it, recruiting is a life blood of any college basketball program. But you need to develop those players and coaching at the Division III level, it was so important to develop your talent, to be flexible. I've changed my offensive philosophy three times in the seven years I was at Bucknell to take advantage of our best players' skill sets, their strengths. So we've tweaked things. We actually tweaked our offensive structure at the semester break this year as a couple of guys really emerged on our team earlier maybe than we thought they might have. So I think in that laboratory of coaching the Division III, you can experiment and you can really learn the tricks of the trade in that regard.

In terms of staff, I have been unbelievably fortunate with the guys that have worked with me at Bucknell --tremendous role models number one and teachers and coaches and recruiters. I'm hopeful that my associate head coach Dane Fischer will become the next coach at Bucknell. I think to comment beyond that at this point is probably premature. I really need to have a sit-down with Brad and other members of the department and really get a sense of where things are with the current team, the needs and priorities. Hopefully we'll move sooner rather than later to round out an excellent coaching staff that really represents Mason exceptionally well in every interaction whether it be high school coaches, AAU coaches, student-athletes, our guys on campus and the rest of the greater community.

Coach, that 2006 run from George Mason invigorated this University. It helped recruiting, not just in basketball, but across the board in all the different sports. How do you hope to recruit now that almost 10 years have gone by since that Final Four run and George Mason has changed so much as a program? So basically my question is how are you going to get players, elite players to want to play at George Mason?

Well I think the first thing that you do is you sell yourself. And you sell your vision for the program and you sell the values that are going to really going to encapsulate this program. And you sell a great a community, a great university, a great education. And we do have something, even though it was 10 years ago, we have a Final Four banner up here and there's a whole bunch of programs, a whole bunch of programs in the Atlantic 10 that cannot say the same thing. And that much I know.

We have proximity to unbelievable talent and you know, one of the interesting things, I don't know if too many guys on that Mason team that went to the Final Four, I don't know how many were McDonald's All-Americans, I don't know how many were top 100 players. I think a lot of guys were under-the-radar guys that had grit and were willing to grind and were willing to improve. One of the teams in the Final Four this year, Wisconsin, I don't think they have anyone that charts any of the recruiting lists.

I think if you build it, they will come. And we're going to build a program from the ground up in terms of our culture, our work ethic. I think players will see the development in these guys that will take place and say, 'if I go to George Mason, I'm going to get better as a player. If I go to George Mason, I'm going to get better as a student. If I go to George Mason, I'm going to grow as a person. And if I go to George Mason, we're going to hang banners in the rafters.' And I think all that stuff will take time.

Just curious with your background from Williams, did you know then you wanted to get into coaching?

When I was a student?

Yes.

Yes I did. I remember I was 10 years old, I came back from a YMCA basketball game and Notre Dame was playing UCLA. Back then, you could get one game on TV a day. It's not like now you can see every single game anywhere. NBC had the game and they mic'd up Digger Phelps and they had him in the locker room at halftime, and I took one look at myself in the mirror and I knew I wasn't going to play in the NBA, but I said, I want to be a coach and I want to do that. So I knew since I was 10 that I wanted to be a college basketball coach.

Every single day, I love what I do. There are a lot of people in this world that can't say that. Every day it doesn't seem like work. Certainly the hours are long and there's travel, but I get to wear sweats into the office, get on the court, workout with guys, talk basketball with assistant coaches, talk basketball with high school coaches or student-athletes. It's a pretty good life.

Coach, you have a lot of recruits that have committed to George Mason for the upcoming season. What is going to be your approach to maybe trying to keep them here next year or having new recruits come in?

I've already been in touch with one young man and we're going to talk with him on the phone and we're going to meet with him, sit and talk with him. Transitions are hard. Transitions are hard for the returning players who are sitting here who came to play for Coach Hewitt, uncertain what's going to happen. Who's the new guy going to be? What's he going to be like? How do I fit in? I've got three daughters that are thinking the exact same thing. You know that transitions are hard.

Certainly you want to meet with him and say, 'The coach was a factor in your decision to say that you're going to come to George Mason, but there are a lot more other things involved in that. The coach sold you on the school and the program and the support and the resources and the vision to hang banners in the Patriot Center. And we're going to do the same things.'

At the end of the day, we're only going to be good if everyone buys in. So we want people to want to be here. We're going to try to re-recruit the people who want to be at George Mason. But there are a lot of good players out there and we're going to find those guys who fit with our vision and want to be a part of something really special.

Thanks so much for everyone coming out and looking forward to every one of you who is here bring four of your friends and let's fill this place up. Thank you.