The two Colorado high school cornhole prodigies made history by becoming the first players to earn Division I college scholarships to play the popular backyard game.
Gavin Hamman and Jackson Remick, both 17, reportedly plan to take their bag-throwing talents to tiny Winthrop University in South Carolina next year after picking corn a few years ago. That’s what it means.
“I never thought cornhole would get me here” Remick he told KDVR. “I’ve come a long way, and this is great.”
“I’m shocked, as I think everyone is,” Hamann added. said KUSA. “It’s crazy. It’s groundbreaking, new and making history.”
The teammate attends Thunder Ridge High School in Highlands Ranch and is considered a five-star recruit in the ever-growing game.
They are also two-time American Cornhole League high school national champions and reportedly the first to win a scholarship in the Division I school game.
Hamann first became interested in the sport about two-and-a-half years ago when he started frequenting bars with his parents to play in a local league.
“I started getting better and now I’m the first five-star division recruit I’ve ever recruited,” Hamann told KDVR.
The two were previously involved in other sports. Haman played soccer and Remick played baseball, and then the two began traveling around the country for cornhole tournaments. The Washington Post reported.
Winthrop, a pioneer in collegiate cornhole, hopes to turn its nascent program into a strong one. At the moment, it is just a club sport and is not sanctioned by the NCAA, so teams must participate in tournaments hosted by other groups.
The scholarship will cover about half of tuition, according to the Washington Post.
“This isn’t just cornhole anymore,” Winthrop University cornhole coach Dusty Thompson told KUSA.
“This is not just what you see on ESPN, watch the pros play. This gives kids the opportunity to get a scholarship and potentially a full ride at the end.”
