A former Hofstra softball standout is about to make baseball history.
Jen Pawol, who caught for the Flying Dutchmen from 1996 to 1998 — before the university rebranded as the Pride — is set to become the first woman to umpire a Major League Baseball game.
Pawol will be on the field this weekend for the Braves-Marlins series in Atlanta. She’ll work the bases during Saturday’s doubleheader and be behind the plate for Sunday’s finale.
[Correction: Due to an editing error, the initial version of this report contained and incorrect headline.]
“If anyone was going to be able to do this, I always knew it was going to be her,” said legendary Hofstra coach Bill Edwards. “When she played for me, her drive, determination and work ethic was unmatched. She would outwork everyone.”
Pawol, now 48, has been a full-time Triple-A umpire since 2023 and has worked Major League spring training games for the past two seasons. She got her start in the officiating world back in 2016, when she enrolled in the Minor League Baseball Umpire Training Academy in Florida. She impressed early and was selected for the MiLB Advanced Course, a program for the top candidates.
“This historic accomplishment in baseball is a reflection of Jen’s hard work, dedication and love of the game,” said MLB Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr. “She has earned this opportunity, and we are proud of the strong example she has set, particularly for all the women and young girls who aspire to roles on the field.”
Edwards told Greater Long Island that Pawol called him this morning with the big news.
“She’s a pioneer. She’s a trailblazer. She’s a role model for women,” he said. “Jen just proved that if you put your mind to something, you can accomplish it.”
At Hofstra, Pawol was a three-time all-conference catcher who hit .332 for her career. Her nine career triples still rank top-10 in program history.
Top: Home plate umpire Jen Pawol takes her position during the first inning of a spring training baseball game between the Houston Astros and Miami Marlins Sunday, March 10, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, file)
