NEW YORK, NY – February 27, 2026 – United Umpires is pleased to announce that Rudy Firmbach will serve as the lead assignor for all summer collegiate baseball leagues under the United umbrella for the 2026 season. Firmbach will be supported in this expanded role by Connor Hoagland, ensuring a comprehensive and streamlined approach to summer officiating.
In this capacity, Firmbach and Hoagland will manage the recruitment and scheduling of top-tier officials for the country’s premier summer leagues, including the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL), the MLB Draft League, the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL), the New York Collegiate Baseball League (NYCBL), and the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL).
Rudy has been a cornerstone of our officiating staff and a respected figure on the field for over a decade.
"Rudy has been a cornerstone of our officiating staff and a respected figure on the field for over a decade," said Alex Skandalis, CEO of United Umpires. "His understanding of the collegiate game, combined with his dedication to umpire development and professionalism, makes him the ideal choice to lead our summer assignments. We are confident that under his guidance, combined with the support of Connor Hoagland, our partner leagues will continue to receive the highest standard of officiating in amateur baseball."
Firmbach, who currently assigns the Prep Baseball facility, the Lumberyard, in Cortland, NY, expands his role with a proven track record of leadership and personnel management within the officiating community. Firmbach currently serves as the United Umpires Vice President of Recruitment, where his responsibilities include communicating with officials nationwide to align their skills and travel abilities with the best-fit opportunities, in addition to expanding United Umpires' roster pool.
Hoagland, a current NCAA Division I umpire who earned his first NCAA Div. I Regional assignment in 2025, currently serves on the United Umpires training staff while also assigning a significant number of high school and summer recreation baseball leagues based in New York and Vermont.
About United Umpires
United Umpires is a comprehensive officiating organization comprised of three sister companies: United Collegiate Umpires (founded 2014), United Travel Umpires (founded 2019), and United Tri-State Umpires (founded 2022). The organization is driven by a commitment to building a #UnitedFamily through core values of accountability, empathy, transparency, communication, and integrity