Minor league baseball is about to get its first female umpire since 2007

Jen Pawol will be only the seventh female umpire in minor league baseball history

Tuesday morning, the Gulf Coast League announced the hiring of female umpire Jen Pawol for the 2016 season. She will be only the seventh woman to umpire a minor league game, and the first since 2007.

"Beginning my career as a professional baseball umpire this week is a privilege that goes beyond words," said Pawol in a statement. "I went to the Major League Baseball Umpire Camps and the Minor League Baseball Umpire Training Academy with an open mind, a strong work ethic and a passion for umpiring, and I'm honored to be starting this exciting journey in the Gulf Coast League."

Pawol played softball at Hofstra and competed for the USA women's national team. She has been umpiring since 2006 and has spent the last few years working Division I softball. Her performance in Minor League Baseball's Advanced Umpiring Course led to her assignment to the Gulf Coast League.

The last woman to umpire a minor league game was Ria Cortesio, who served as as umpire from 1999-2007. Pawol and Cortesio join Bernice Gera (1972), Christine Wren (1975-77), Postema (1977-89), Theresa Cox Fairlady (1989-91), and Shanna Kook (2003-04) as the only female umpires in minor league history.

"Jen worked extremely hard during the Umpire Training Academy and proved herself during a very competitive Advanced Course to earn this assignment," said Minor League Baseball Director of Umpire Development Dusty Dellinger in a statement. "We are pleased to have someone of her talent joining the professional umpiring ranks and I'm confident she'll do a great job."

The Gulf Coast League, stationed in Florida, is a short season rookie minor league. The season runs from late June through late August, and the league is usually full of recent draftees and international amateur free agent signees. It's a league for 18 to 20-year-olds kid who are just starting their pro careers.