The Chicago Red Stars have traded forward, Penelope Hocking, to Bay FC, honoring a request made by Hocking to be closer to home, the club announced today. In exchange for Hocking, the Red Stars will receive a $350,000 transfer fee to be fulfilled over two years with $250,000 paid this season and $100,000 in 2025, making this one of the highest transfer fees in women’s soccer to date. Additionally, the Red Stars will receive 10% on any transfer fee Bay FC receives in a future transfer of Hocking. 

“We would like to thank Penelope for all her hard work with the Red Stars over the last year and a half,” said Red Stars general manager, Richard Feuz.  

The Red Stars drafted Hocking in 2023 with the seventh-overall pick in the National Women’s Soccer League draft from Penn State University. In the forward’s rookie season, Hocking played in 19 matches and started in 15 across all competitions, including her debut in the team’s opening match of the 2023 season against San Diego Wave FC. Hocking scored three goals and made one assist her rookie season, including a goal against the Houston Dash that came 23 seconds after substituting into the match; making it the second fastest goal scored by a substitute in league history.  

This season, Hocking has played in 13 of the team’s 17 regular-season matches, and started in two of the club’s Summer Cup matches. Hocking scored four goals and made one assist for the Red Stars this season, including three goals in three consecutive matches (May 5-19). On June 8, Hocking scored the club’s lone goal at the Red Stars Takeover Wrigley Field Match against Bay FC. Hocking, whose father was a Major League Baseball player, made history that night by becoming one part of the only father-daughter duo to score at Wrigley Field.  

The Red Stars would like to thank Penelope for all her hard work and sacrifice in service of our club and fans these past two seasons. We wish her nothing but the best as she continues her career closer to home.