Tori Penso

Tori Penso is an American soccer referee and former player. In 2020, she became the first woman to referee a Major League Soccer regular season match in 20 years.

Tori Penso
Born 1985/1986 (age 34–35)
Stuart, Florida
Other occupation Digital marketer
Domestic
Years League Role
2015– National Women's Soccer League Referee
2019– USL Championship Referee
2020– Major League Soccer Referee

Career

Penso was raised in Stuart, Florida, and began refereeing in high school alongside her older brothers.[1] She was invited to an Olympic Development Program refereeing camp in Alabama at the age of 18.[2] Penso played collegiate soccer at Florida State University and graduated in 2008 with a digital marketing degree. She worked in marketing for Coca-Cola and Red Bull until relocating to Ohio to earn a Master of Business Administration in 2015 from the Case Western Reserve University.[3][4]

Penso joined the United States Soccer Federation as a referee in 2013 and was assigned to women's collegiate tournaments and later the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).[3][4] Following the 2019 Generation Adidas Cup, she was invited to join the Professional Referee Organization's PRO2 development program. Penso later served as an assistant or fourth official at several Major League Soccer (MLS) and USL Championship matches, in addition to assignments in the NWSL.[2][3]

In January 2020, Penso was appointed as the managing director of the National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association.[5] On September 25, 2020, she became the ninth woman to referee a MLS match and the first since Sandy Hunt in May 2000.[3]

Personal life

Penso is married to Chris Penso, a long-time MLS referee. They have three children.[3]

References
  1. "Tori Penso: "Be the role you aspire to be"". Professional Referee Organization. May 18, 2020. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  2. Carlisle, Jeff (September 25, 2020). "Tori Penso, first woman MLS ref since 2000, hopeful for more games". ESPN. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  3. Hills, Drake (September 25, 2020). "How Tori Penso became the first woman in 20 years to referee an MLS game". The Tennessean. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  4. "From the national field to the corporate world: How Tori Penso, MBA '15, leveraged her Weatherhead education to turn her passion into a career". Case Western Reserve University. March 11, 2020. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  5. Huber, Gary W. (January 29, 2020). "Tori Penso Appointed as NISOA Managing Director". National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
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