NJ Native To Make History As MLB’s First Woman Umpire

PASSAIC COUNTY, NJ — A Passaic County woman will make sports history this weekend as she makes her Major League Baseball debut as the first woman to umpire a regular season game.

Jen Pawol, 48, of West Milford, will be behind the plate for the three-game series between the Miami Marlins and the Atlanta Braves this weekend.

According to the MLB, Pawol has worked as a rookie league umpire since 2016. She climbed through the ranks of her career, eventually umpiring Triple-A baseball, the first woman in 34 years to do so. She is one of 17 current Triple-A call-up umpires eligible to substitute in Major League games.

“The Major League Baseball Umpires Association congratulates Jen Pawol on her historic Major League debut," the MLBUA said in a statement. "This moment represents more than a personal milestone for Jen; it is a groundbreaking step for our profession and for the continued advancement of women in sports. Jen’s achievement is a testament to her skill, dedication, and perseverance. We are proud to stand with Jen as she breaks this barrier, and we look forward to welcoming more women into the umpiring profession.”

Pawol played softball at Hofstra University before playing at the Amateur Softball Association Major Fast Pitch level for a decade. She later began umpiring college softball games and umpired in the Big Ten Conference from 2013 to 2015 before joining the MLB.

"For me, personally, I just love doing the job," the former catcher told the MLB in 2016. "I'm passionate about it, and it's just part of who I am."

Pawol will umpire Saturday’s double header, with the first game at 1:15 p.m. and the second at 7:15 p.m. She’ll return behind Truist Park's home plate on Sunday for the 1:35 p.m. game.

“Anybody in baseball will tell you that you’ve just got to keep it simple, keep working hard, put your all into it and get ready for the next day,” Pawol said in 2024. “That’s all I think about every day -- get better before tomorrow.”

Other Female Minor League Umpires:

• Bernice Gera, 1972
• Christine Wren, 1975 -1977
• Pam Postema, 1977 - 1989
• Theresa Cox Fairlady, 1989 - 1991
• Ria Cortesio, 1999 - 2007
• Shanna Kook, 2003 - 2004