Upcoming Event: Football at Lehigh on September 19, 2026
Football
at Lehigh
Q&A with Bun Straton and Matt Kaskey
10/3/2018 10:27:00 AM | Football
The following exchange was originally printed in a condensed form in the Penn game program. The complete discussion is printed here to allow fans to get to know some of the Big Green players a little better.
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DartmouthSports: What made you want to attend Dartmouth?
Matt Kaskey: I knew I wanted to attend Dartmouth the second I crossed the Connecticut River. I immediately fell in love with the campus and the surrounding environment. On top of that, the people I interacted with were very down to earth and welcomed me with open arms. I felt at home right when I got there, and that is rare.
Bun Straton: The combination of excellent academics and athletics. I like how it is a small college, yet there are tons of people who love it. The sense of family that I got while on my official visit was something that sold me.
Â
DS: What is one memory from your time with the Big Green that you will never forget?
MK: Overcoming the 21-point deficit to Yale last year. I will never forget that feeling.
BS: A memory that I will never forget is our comeback win against Yale last homecoming. I'll never forget that because I think that was the greatest comeback in Dartmouth football history. And to do that in front of so many alumni, family and friends meant so much.
Â
DS: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?
MK: I would travel to Nepal. I've always wanted to see the Himalayas in person, and I think it would be interesting to experience Nepalese culture.
BS: I would love to visit Egypt to see the Great Pyramids and other ancient statues, like the Great Sphinx of Giza. I really enjoy seeing and learning about ancient civilizations. Greece and Rome are also places that I would love to visit for the same reasons.
Â
DS: Who has had the biggest influence on your life and why?
MK: My parents. They've always been there to encourage me and provide me with opportunities to succeed. I love you guys!
BS: My Dad has definitely had biggest influence on my life. He is such a humble, intelligent, kind hearted, selfless and hardworking man. He has been there to support me through my entire life. I would not be the person I am today without him.
Â
DS: What is your favorite memory of your childhood?
MK: I had such a great childhood that it's hard to pinpoint one moment. If I had to pick one, it would be the snow days in my elementary school years. Drinking hot chocolate and building snowmen and igloos is something I'll never forget.
BS: It would definitely be any kind of potluck at the beach with family and friends. Those times were my favorite because all the kids would be playing in the water and in the sand. There were dozens of kids of all different ages because everyone had younger and older siblings. While the kids played, the parents would all be drinking and eating together up by the tents. We would start the day before noon and we wouldn't leave the beach until after midnight. These were my favorite memories because it was when I felt so whole. Everyone there loved each other and we were all family.
Â
DS: If you could swap places with one teammate, who would it be and why?
MK: Dave Emanuels. The guy is a living legend.
Â
DS: What does being a member of the Big Green family mean to you?
MK: It means having a family for the rest of my life. The people here are special. They've changed my life for the better and I expect to maintain the friendships I made here for the rest of my life.
BS: It means the world to me. Everyone cares so much for each other. Like I said earlier, it was what made me want to come here.
Â
DS: If you could go back to freshman year and give yourself advice, what would it be?
MK: Don't take Introduction to Computer Science. It's a trap.
BS: I would tell myself to go to different events around campus. Join some clubs. Make an extra effort to become friends with people outside of athletics. I felt like, during my freshman year and half of my sophomore year, I kept to myself. I only stayed around athletes. Stepping out of my comfort zone and trying things that I normally wouldn't try is definitely advice I would give myself.
Â
DS: What do you like most about living in the Upper Valley?
MK: The surrounding nature. A hike or a swim is a minute away, wherever you are on campus.
BS:Â Many people have mixed feelings about this, but I do like how we are in our own little bubble. There are ups and downs to this, but it makes this place unique.
Â
DS: You step outside tomorrow morning and find a lottery ticket that ends up winning $10 million (after taxes). What would you do with the money?
MK: I would travel around Africa and Asia for a bit and invest the rest of it.
BS: I am not too sure. I would probably invest most of it. With the remaining money, I would buy something for my parents. I would buy them a couple tickets to anywhere they would like to go in the world.
Â
DS: What is one of your pre-game rituals?
MK: I have none. I just get out there and play!
BS: Before every game, I write FOE (Family Over Everything) and CFL (Comradeship, Faith in one another, Loyalty to Dartmouth) on my wrist tape.
Â
DartmouthSports: What made you want to attend Dartmouth?
Matt Kaskey: I knew I wanted to attend Dartmouth the second I crossed the Connecticut River. I immediately fell in love with the campus and the surrounding environment. On top of that, the people I interacted with were very down to earth and welcomed me with open arms. I felt at home right when I got there, and that is rare.
Bun Straton: The combination of excellent academics and athletics. I like how it is a small college, yet there are tons of people who love it. The sense of family that I got while on my official visit was something that sold me.
Â
DS: What is one memory from your time with the Big Green that you will never forget?
MK: Overcoming the 21-point deficit to Yale last year. I will never forget that feeling.
BS: A memory that I will never forget is our comeback win against Yale last homecoming. I'll never forget that because I think that was the greatest comeback in Dartmouth football history. And to do that in front of so many alumni, family and friends meant so much.
Â
DS: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?
MK: I would travel to Nepal. I've always wanted to see the Himalayas in person, and I think it would be interesting to experience Nepalese culture.
BS: I would love to visit Egypt to see the Great Pyramids and other ancient statues, like the Great Sphinx of Giza. I really enjoy seeing and learning about ancient civilizations. Greece and Rome are also places that I would love to visit for the same reasons.
Â
DS: Who has had the biggest influence on your life and why?
MK: My parents. They've always been there to encourage me and provide me with opportunities to succeed. I love you guys!
BS: My Dad has definitely had biggest influence on my life. He is such a humble, intelligent, kind hearted, selfless and hardworking man. He has been there to support me through my entire life. I would not be the person I am today without him.
Â
DS: What is your favorite memory of your childhood?
MK: I had such a great childhood that it's hard to pinpoint one moment. If I had to pick one, it would be the snow days in my elementary school years. Drinking hot chocolate and building snowmen and igloos is something I'll never forget.
BS: It would definitely be any kind of potluck at the beach with family and friends. Those times were my favorite because all the kids would be playing in the water and in the sand. There were dozens of kids of all different ages because everyone had younger and older siblings. While the kids played, the parents would all be drinking and eating together up by the tents. We would start the day before noon and we wouldn't leave the beach until after midnight. These were my favorite memories because it was when I felt so whole. Everyone there loved each other and we were all family.
Â
DS: If you could swap places with one teammate, who would it be and why?
MK: Dave Emanuels. The guy is a living legend.
Â
DS: What does being a member of the Big Green family mean to you?
MK: It means having a family for the rest of my life. The people here are special. They've changed my life for the better and I expect to maintain the friendships I made here for the rest of my life.
BS: It means the world to me. Everyone cares so much for each other. Like I said earlier, it was what made me want to come here.
Â
DS: If you could go back to freshman year and give yourself advice, what would it be?
MK: Don't take Introduction to Computer Science. It's a trap.
BS: I would tell myself to go to different events around campus. Join some clubs. Make an extra effort to become friends with people outside of athletics. I felt like, during my freshman year and half of my sophomore year, I kept to myself. I only stayed around athletes. Stepping out of my comfort zone and trying things that I normally wouldn't try is definitely advice I would give myself.
Â
DS: What do you like most about living in the Upper Valley?
MK: The surrounding nature. A hike or a swim is a minute away, wherever you are on campus.
BS:Â Many people have mixed feelings about this, but I do like how we are in our own little bubble. There are ups and downs to this, but it makes this place unique.
Â
DS: You step outside tomorrow morning and find a lottery ticket that ends up winning $10 million (after taxes). What would you do with the money?
MK: I would travel around Africa and Asia for a bit and invest the rest of it.
BS: I am not too sure. I would probably invest most of it. With the remaining money, I would buy something for my parents. I would buy them a couple tickets to anywhere they would like to go in the world.
Â
DS: What is one of your pre-game rituals?
MK: I have none. I just get out there and play!
BS: Before every game, I write FOE (Family Over Everything) and CFL (Comradeship, Faith in one another, Loyalty to Dartmouth) on my wrist tape.
Players Mentioned
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