Vintage Minnesota Hockey - History

MARK FUSCO
2002 United States Hockey Hall of Fame Enshrinee

As a defenseman at Harvard, Mark Fusco left his mark among college hockey’s all-time best when he became the first blue-liner to win college hockey’s top honor, the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, in 1983.  Fusco still holds several Harvard University records for a defenseman, including career goals (44), career points (135) and single-season points (46 as a senior in 1982-83).

The Burlington, MA, native was also a three-time First Team All-American selection, a four-time All-Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and All-Ivy League pick and was the 1980 ECAC and Ivy League Rookie of the Year. Additionally, Fusco was the Ivy League Player of the Year in 1983, twice won the Walter Brown Award as the East’s best American born player, and was awarded the Leonard F. Foule Award as the MVP in New England by the New England college hockey writers in 1982 and 1983.  Fusco led the Crimson to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances, including the championship game in 1983, where he was named to the All-Tournament Team.  In addition to his outstanding on-ice performance at Harvard, Fusco also received the crimson’s John Tudor Memorial Cup in 1980, 1982 and 1983 for his qualities of sportsmanship, leadership and team cooperation.

Fusco has a lengthy international and professional resume as well.  He teamed with his younger brother Scott as a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic Ice Hockey Team that competed in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, and notched 28 points (4-24) in 50 games on the teams’ Pre-Olympic Tour.  He later played 80 games in two seasons with the NHL’s Harford Whalers. Fusco also competed in three National Sports Festivals, was a member of the 1981 U.S. National Junior team, the 1984 Canada Cup Team, and the 1985 U.S. National Team as well.

After his playing career, Fusco graduated from Harvard Business School in 1990.  From there he went on to become the President and C.O.O. of Ajilon Consulting USA, a leading provider of IT consulting services with 40 offices and 4,000 employees nationwide.  Fusco is also a former member of both the U.S. Olympic Committee Board and USA Hockey’s Board of Directors.

SCOTT FUSCO
2002 United States Hockey Hall of Fame Enshrinee

In 1986 Scott Fusco made history when he won the coveted Hobey Baker Memorial Award. In so doing, he joined his older brother Mark as the only siblings to claim the honor.

One of the most prolific scorers in college history, Fusco is the all-time leading scorer in Harvard University history with 240 points (107-133) in 123 games played, and also tops the Crimson’s assist list with 133.  A two-time All-American in 1985 and 1986, Fusco was a two-time Hobey Baker Award finalist, and is the only player to be named Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Player of the Year twice.  He earned First Team All-Ivy League selections all four years, is a three-time First Team All-EDAC selection, and holds the second highest single-season point total in Crimson history with 81 (34-47) in 32 games played during the 1984-85 season. Fusco also helped lead the Crimson to three NCAA Tournaments and two national championship games in 1983 and 1986.

A two-time Olympian, Fusco teamed with his brother to represent USA Hockey at the 1984 Olympic Winter Games in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, where he scored one goal and three assists.  Fusco also starred in the 1988 Olympic Games in Calgary, Alberta, finishing as the third-leading scorer for the U.S.A. with eight points (4-4) in six games.  He also played on the 1982 U.S. National Junior Team as well as the 1987 U.S. Select Team at the Pravda Cup Tournament in Leningrad, Russia.  In addition, Fusco also played one professional season for EHC in Olten, Switzerland, in 1986-87, scoring 48 points (27-21) in 30 games.

Currently, Fusco is the Sr. Vice President of the Professional Services Group of Ajilon Consulting USA.  He has over 12 years of experience in the information technology (IT) industry, including three years with Ajilon Consulting’s executive team.

Prior to assuming the role of Sr. Vice President of the Professional Services Group of Ajilon Consulting USA, Fusco was the Sr. Vice President responsible for the operations of Ajilon Consulting’s software quality assurance division in North America.  Fusco joined Ajilon Consulting in 1999 with the acquisition of Software Quality Partners (SQP), an IT consulting firm specializing in software quality assurance and testing.  He was the Vice President and Co-Founder of SQP, which was founded in 1990 with his brother, and managed the operations of the company.

JOE RILEY
2002 United States Hockey Hall of Fame Enshrinee

Joe Riley grew up in Medford, MA playing hockey with his two older future Hall of Fame brothers, Jack and Bill.  At Medford High School, Joe twice led the team in scoring while twice being named to the All-Scholastic squad.  In addition, he was also the top scorer in the Greater Boston Interscholastic Hockey League, and was chosen for the GBI All-Star Team as well.

Following high school, Riley attended the University of Illinois where he played freshman hockey for Hall of Fame Coach, Vic Heyliger.  Riley’s career was interrupted by World War II military service, however, and when he returned from Europe he transferred to Dartmouth College, where he played two seasons from 1947-49.

At Dartmouth, playing for the late Hall of Fame Coach, Eddie Jeremiah, Riley set the record for most goals in a season in his senior year- a record, which still stands today.  Playing two varsity seasons, Riley appeared in 47 games and netted 67 goals and 49 assists for the Big Green, and average of 2.5 points per game.  He ranked 4th all-time for Dartmouth goal scorers and was tied for 12th in total points after just two year of play.  Riley was named to the All New England Team, the All-America Team and the NCAA All Tournament Team during his tenure in Hanover, NH.  In addition, to being named to the All Arena College Hockey Team, he received All-American honors in 1949, and was also named as the Outstanding Player in the Pentagonal League (later known as the Eastern College Athletic Conference or ECAC).  While in college, Riley was also chosen to serve on the AAU Olympic Team in 1948 and went on to represent his country proudly at the Winter Games that year in St. Moritz, Switzerland. 

While at Dartmouth, Riley teamed up with his brother Bill and Cliff Harrison to become the most prolific scoring line in collegiate history with 209 points in 23 contests.  This power-house took Dartmouth to the NCAA National Finals both years that Riley was there.  He earned Most Valuable Player of the tournament honors in 1948 to boot.

Riley was drafted by the Boston Bruins, but he decided to further his education and went on to earn a law degree in 1952 from Georgetown University.  He then worked as an attorney for the Justice Dept. in Washington, D.C. and later returned to the Boston area where he set up a practice as a sports agent and stockbroker.

DOUG WOOG
2002 United States Hockey Hall of Fame Enshrinee

As a player, coach and administrator, Doug Woog has achieved success in all three of these areas of hockey.  The former University of Minnesota men’s hockey coach guided the Golden Gophers to an average of nearly 28 wins per season and seven league championships during his 14-year tenure (1985-1999).  During this time, the Gophers made 12 NCAA appearances in 14 seasons, six NCAA Final Four appearances, and Woog became Minnesota's all-time winningest coach with a 389-187-40 record (.664).

Woog is a 1962 graduate of South St. Paul High School, where he garnered all-state hockey honors for three consecutive years and played in four Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournaments.  Upon completion of his prep career, he attended the University of Minnesota and played under the legendary coach, John Mariucci.  Woog led the Gophers in scoring and earned All-American honors his junior year (1965).  He captained the Gophers his senior season and was named team Most Valuable Player. After graduating from Minnesota, Woog played for the 1967 U.S. National Team at the International Ice Hockey Federation Men’s World Championships in Vienna, Austria and was a candidate of the 1968 Olympic Team. 

In 1971, Woog joined the coaching ranks and directed the St. Paul Vulcans to two Junior National titles.  Woog returned to South St. Paul High School in 1977 as head coach of the boys’ hockey team.  Over the next six years, his Packer teams won two conference titles and advanced to the state tournament four times.  

Woog served as assistant coach for the 1984 Olympic Team that competed in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia.  Additionally, throughout his career, Woog served in various coaching positions on many U.S. National Teams from 1978-1989 and his administrative duties have included being a national committee member for the AHAUS and Chairman of the National Skating Committee for USA Hockey.  In 2000, Woog was inducted into the University of Minnesota’s Athletic Hall of Fame.  

In 1999, Woog resigned as the University of Minnesota’s head hockey coach to take an assistant athletic director position at Minnesota.  In addition to his work at Minnesota, Woog is a television analyst and runs his own youth hockey camps.  

Woog resides in South St. Paul with his wife Jan.  They have three children, Amy, Steve and Dan.