She played youth soccer for SoCal Blues, with which she won the 2015 ECNL U15 National Championship.[6]
College career
USC Trojans, 2018–2021
Hocking played NCAA Division I women's soccer for the USC Trojans from 2018 to 2021. She was named the Pac-12 Conference freshman of the year in 2018, three-time All-Pac-12 from 2019 to 2021, two-time Pac 12 forward of the year in 2020 and 2021, and first-team All-American in 2020.[7] She set a program record for career goals scored on October 7, 2021, with her 49th, surpassing the previous record held by Isabelle Harvey since 2000.[8] She finished her career with the Trojans with 54 goals scored, at the time the 12th most in Pac-12 history,[7][9] in her 72 career games played.[10]
On March 20, 2023, Hocking signed a three-year contract with the Red Stars, with an option for a fourth year.[13]
On March 25, 2023, Hocking made her debut for the Red Stars in a 2–3 loss against San Diego Wave FC as a starter.[14] On April 15, in her third start and appearance, Hocking scored her first professional goals as a brace against Kansas City Current in a 4–2 victory.[15]
Bay FC, 2024–
On August 31, 2024, Chicago traded Hocking to fellow NWSL side Bay FC for a $350,000 transfer fee, one of the largest in women's soccer history. The trade was made so that Hocking could play for a team closer to her home.[16]
Hocking's parents are former Cypress College basketball player Venetta Dorlis and former Major League Baseball player Denny Hocking. Her paternal grandmother was a youth soccer coach.[4] Hocking has a fraternal twin sister, Iliana, and they were the first twins born to a member of the Minnesota Twins.[19][20] Penelope and Iliana played together at Canyon High School.[5]
Penelope and Iliana were the first sisters selected in the same NWSL Draft. Iliana played collegiate soccer as a midfielder for the Arizona Wildcats, a Pac-12 rival of USC that pitted the sisters against each other.[21] Iliana was drafted by NJ/NY Gotham FC with the 44th overall pick.[22]