Jen Pawol - MLB Umpire

Baseball

Former Millikin Baseball Volunteer Assistant Jen Pawol makes History as MLB's First Female Umpire

Graphic Courtesy of the MLB
The MLB announced this week that Jen Pawol will make history this weekend as the first woman to be an umpire in a regular-season MLB game. Pawol has ties to Millikin, serving as a volunteer assistant with the Big Blue baseball team from 2020-2022. In her time with the Millikin baseball team, she worked with the Big Blue catchers.

Pawol will umpire three games during the weekend's Marlins-Braves series in Atlanta, including both ends of Saturday's doubleheader and the series finale on Sunday where she will be behind home plate. The doubleheader necessitated adding a fifth umpire to the crew, since each home plate umpire skips the other game they're not working.

In an article written by MLB's Brian Murphy, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said "This historic accomplishment in baseball is a reflection of Jen's hard work, dedication and love of the game. 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. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my congratulations to Jen and her family on this milestone."

Pawol steadily climbed the umpiring ranks since the beginning of her professional career in Rookie ball in 2016. She reached the Triple-A level in 2023, becoming the first female umpire at that level in 34 years. She served as the home plate umpire for the Triple-A Championship that September. 

"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."

While with the Big Blue, Pawol would umpire intrasquad games to help hone her skills.

In 2021, Millikin posted their best season in school history with a 31-16 overall record, setting school records for overall wins and conference wins in a season. That year, they won the CCIW Tournament title and made the school's first ever trip to the NCAA Tournament.
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