A $10 million donation will fund Fusco Fields.

Salesianum receives $10 million for Fusco sports complex

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

A $10 million donation will fund Fusco Fields.

A $10 million donation will fund Fusco Fields.

The Salesianum School on Friday announced a $10 million donation that will help pay for a new 250,000-square-foot, multi-tiered sports complex.

Fusco Fields, named after donor Anthony N. Fusco Sr., is set to include a baseball field, multi-use turf fields and, most important to the fans, an enhanced spectator experience.

A rendering of Fusco Fields.

A rendering of Fusco Fields.

The all-boys Catholic high school expects the new complex to dramatically improve the streetscape along Broom Street in Wilmington, replacing natural-grass practice fields with state-of-the-art turf fields for both practice and competition.

“I think Sallies does things the right way,” Fusco said. “I tell people all the time that I wish I had gone to Sallies, but for me, this is the next best thing, to make sure that other kids can go and that when they do, it’s an experience that gives them the tools to be who they are and be that well.”

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The fields will be accessible via a pathway along the north edge of campus and will add significant space for Salesianum’s teams to practice and play on, further supporting their 120-year-old athletic program. 

Fusco, an honorary alumni of the Class of 2014, is a long-time financial supporter of the school through his Anthony & Catherine Fusco Charitable Foundation, which primarily funds educational scholarships.

In the past, the foundation has supported financial aid, the school’s endowment and capital projects.

This donation follows his $10 million donation in 2014 to the school’s endowment. 

In the past decade, Salesianum has had four donations of $10 million or more.

“I am excited about all of the possibilities that are open to us in terms of programming and schedule with Fusco Fields,” school president Thomas Kardish said, “I am hopeful that this announcement is also a moment to express our gratitude to Tony for all that he has done to build God’s Kingdom here at 18th and Broom Streets.”

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