Jennifer DePasquale is one of 14 players on the roster for the newly formed Buffalo Brawlers professional cornhole team.

The Brawlers will be one of six Major League Cornhole teams in the new professional league. The league also includes the New Jersey Heroes, the Ohio Riders, the Philadelphia Bell-Ringers, the Florida Geckos, and the Kansas Airmen.

The league was announced Wednesday evening, with a press conference in Buffalo to reveal the Brawlers to the community. The athletes all signed professional contracts, with terms not disclosed. The Brawlers will host games at Buffalo RiverWorks.

The Brawlers held a combine April 15 to 16 at The Coliseum at Titans Cornhole Club to help select the team. DePasquale had the dates circled on her calendar for many weeks and took advantage of the opportunity.

Jennifer DePasquale, a Dunkirk native, will be part of a 14-player professional cornhole team called the Buffalo Brawlers, set to begin play next month. Submitted photo

“I’ve just been practicing for the combine since I knew about it,” DePasquale said.

A former multi-sport standout athlete at Dunkirk High School, DePasquale played both softball and basketball collegiately at Alfred State, then concluded her softball career at Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania, where she also played rugby. She also coached at Gowanda and Fredonia State.

“I’ve been an athlete my whole life. … I’m a competitor,” DePasquale said. “With cornhole, I picked it up and I was good at it, so I stuck with it. Now I’m a professional athlete.”

DePasquale discovered her passion for cornhole during the pandemic. She began by traveling to Falconer and competing in Alleghany Cornhole. She then found more local leagues and tournaments to compete in regularly through the Scoreholio mobile phone app, including frequent stops at the Sheridan VFW and at 314 Central Avenue in Dunkirk with Blazin Bags Cornhole.

“It’s fun, it’s competitive. There are so many cornhole tournaments around here,” DePasquale said. “Cornhole is such a great sport because anyone can play it.”

DePasquale and the Brawlers begin competition on May 6 at the New Jersey Heroes. The first home game is set for a week later, May 13, at Buffalo RiverWorks. All Major League Cornhole games are scheduled for 6 p.m. on Saturdays, with a broadcast partner to be announced. The league will also feature a streaming platform called MLC+, which will offer games, interviews, and behind-the-scenes content.

Sponsors of the Brawlers include Buffalo RiverWorks, Queen City Yard Game Company, and Warrior Cornhole.

“This is huge,” DePasquale said. “It’s really exciting.”