Jen Pawol has etched her name in the annals of baseball history by becoming the first female umpire to officiate a Major League Baseball (MLB) regular-season game. Her groundbreaking debut took place on Saturday, August 9, 2025, during the first game of a split doubleheader between the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins.

Pawol, who served as the first base umpire, had a relatively uneventful first inning. Braves right-hander Hurston Waldrep struck out the first two batters, and Agustin Ramirez lined out to third baseman Nacho Alvarez Jr. The Marlins also went down in order in the bottom of the first inning, with no calls needed from Pawol.

After the inning, Pawol's responsibilities included checking Waldrep's hands for foreign substances. During this brief encounter, she received a warm greeting from Braves catcher Sean Murphy, signaling a positive start to her historic day.

Pawol's role expanded in the second game of the doubleheader, where she worked as the third base umpire. She will continue to be in the spotlight as she takes on the role of home plate umpire in Sunday's final game of the series.

The anticipation for Pawol's debut was palpable. A crowd of photographers gathered as the umpires walked onto the field, capturing the historic moment. Marlins manager Clayton McCullough and Braves bench coach Walt Weiss greeted Pawol during the lineup exchange at home plate before the game. Pawol then jogged down the first base line, shaking hands with Marlins first base coach Tyler Smarslok before taking her position for the first pitch.

Pawol, a 48-year-old from New Jersey, expressed her emotions about the milestone. "It was super emotional to finally be living that phone call that I'd been hoping for and working towards for quite a while, and I just felt super full - I feel like a fully charged battery ready to go," she said.

Her journey to the majors began in 2016 when she was assigned to the Gulf Coast League. She officiated the Triple-A championship game in 2023 and worked spring training games in 2024 and 2025. Pawol's rise to MLB history comes 28 years after the NBA broke the gender barrier for game officials and 10 years after the NFL hired its first full-time female official. The men's soccer World Cup hired its first female referee three years ago, while the NHL has yet to have any women as on-ice officials.

Pawol's achievement is not just a personal milestone but a significant step forward for gender equality in sports. Her journey from a three-time all-conference softball selection at Hofstra to an NCAA softball umpire from 2010-16, and now to the MLB, is an inspiring tale of perseverance and dedication.