Previously, he was the head men's basketball coach at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.

At Williams College, Paulsen won the NCAA Division III title in 2003,[1] and finished as national runner up in 2004.

During his time at Bucknell, Paulsen recruited and coached future NBA player Mike Muscala.

His second year at George Mason saw the team significantly improve, finishing 20–14 overall and 9–9 in A–10 play, and receiving an invitation to the 2017 CBI, where they would lose in the first round to Loyola (MD).

Paulsen returned to the Patriot League when he was appointed head coach at the College of the Holy Cross on March 28, 2023.