Ivy Legacies Write Own Story At Dartmouth

HANOVER, N.H.--John Fusco and Matt Fusco are part of a family that has a storied history of Crimson. John and Matt's parents met at Harvard while his father Mark was a star on the Harvard men's hockey team, their mother Kristin was a tennis player for the Crimson. Now the brothers are both defensemen for a Dartmouth team that is chasing its first ECAC Championship.

The history with Harvard runs deeper than just their parents, their uncle Scott, grandfather Bob, and their cousin Bradley all suited up on the ice for the Crimson. Their uncle Bill also competed for Harvard in track and field.

John started his collegiate career at Harvard in 2021-22 and played 26 games for the Crimson while scoring once and adding an assist. Matt originally was committed to join his brother in Cambridge. Following his first year at Harvard, John decided to transfer to Dartmouth and Matt was right behind him as he committed to Dartmouth and joined the Big Green in 2023-24.

The brothers are two years apart but did not feel the pressure from their parents to play hockey at a young age.

"I don't think there was pressure at all. If anything, there was more pressure from our mom to play tennis" John added.

"We had a rink in our backyard which made us fall in love with hockey. I don't think there was a lot of pressure when we were little to play hockey, our parents said that it was up to us." Matt said.

Matt and John aren't the first set of Fusco brothers play together in college hockey. Mark and Scott both played together at Harvard from 1981-83, they are the only set of brothers to each win the Hobey Baker Memorial Award. In 2002, both Mark and Scott were inducted into the USA Hockey Hall of Fame.

It is not the first time that John and Matt have suited up together either, the brothers played together at Dexter Southfield School for multiple seasons before they each started their junior careers.

"Yeah, it was great having each other to play with when we were little. While we were at Dexter we were defense partners. I think that allowed us to push each other to be our best" John said.

Matt added "It was awesome having John when I was little. He was always someone I looked up to and I saw him playing hockey and knew that I at least wanted to try it."

Both brothers echoed each other when asked about playing in for the Green and White the last two seasons.

"It has been awesome playing with John the past two years. I think my first year I relied on him a lot more than I have this this year because he was someone I could talk to if I wasn't understanding something in hockey."

"I feel like we push each other every day to be better" John said. "It definitely helps having someone to talk to about anything so close and sitting next to you."

"It has been awesome spending everyday together doing something we both love."

"It's been a great experience that I wouldn't trade for the world."

For a family tree grown in a Crimson shade, these new roots are all Green.

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Players Mentioned

John Fusco

Matt Fusco

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Schedules

Completed Event: Men's Ice Hockey versus Princeton on February 28, 2026 , Tie , 2, to, 2 , (SO, L)

Completed Event: Men's Ice Hockey versus No. 7 Colgate on March 13, 2026 , Win , 4, to, 1

Completed Event: Men's Ice Hockey versus No. 7 Colgate on March 14, 2026 , Win , 4, to, 1

Completed Event: Men's Ice Hockey versus No. 8 Clarkson on March 20, 2026 , Win , 4, to, 0

Completed Event: Men's Ice Hockey versus No. 4 Princeton on March 21, 2026 , Win , 2, to, 1 , (OT)

Completed Event: Men's Ice Hockey versus #12 Wisconsin on March 26, 2026 , Loss , 1, to, 5