LSU Soccer’s Sydney Cheesman Receives Call-Up To U.S. Under-23 National Team

Tiger Rag News Services

Former LSU Soccer defender Sydney Cheesman has earned a call-up to the U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team, announced by the U.S. Soccer Federation on Wednesday.

Cheesman is one of 24 players that have been called up to the first U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team training camp of 2026, which will run from Feb. 27 to March 7 in South Florida.

U.S. U-23 WNT head coach Heather Dyche will train a squad featuring 21 professional players – 19 from the NWSL and two from the USL Super League – along with three current collegiate players.

The camp will end with two matches against the Mexico U-23 Women’s National Team, on March 3 at Noon ET and March 6 at 2 p.m. ET, both at the FIU Soccer Stadium in Miami. The matches are open and free to the public.

Cheesman’s selection marks another milestone for LSU Soccer, as the program continues to produce talent at the national level. The U-23 Women’s National Team serves as a key pipeline to the senior national team, featuring some of the top emerging players in the country.

The selection marks LSU Soccer’s third Tiger to earn a national team call-up just this week. Previously, current freshman Sariyah Bailey received a call-up to the U.S. Under-19 Women’s National Team, while former Tiger and teammate of Cheesman, Ida Hermannsdottir, got named to the full Icelandic Women’s National Team.

Cheesman concluded her LSU career in 2025 as a cornerstone of the Tigers’ backline, being a vital piece of the squad that led the program to its first-ever NCAA Sweet 16 appearance. Over her two seasons in Baton Rouge, she appeared in 44 matches, earning the start in all but one of those, and logged 3,557 minutes on the pitch. In addition to her defensive contributions, Cheesman tallied two goals and seven assists during her time in the Purple and Gold.

After transferring to LSU in 2024, Cheesman quickly established herself as a vital piece of the Tigers’ defense, bringing experience, consistency and leadership to the squad. Her impact was instrumental in LSU’s historic 2025 season, as the team set new benchmarks on the national stage.

The U-23 call-up reflects Cheesman’s continued development and recognition among the nation’s elite young players. She will now have the opportunity to compete and train at the international level as part of the U.S. Soccer system.

U.S. U-23 WNT Roster by Position – (Club/College; Hometown)Domestic Training Camp and Matches — Miami, Fla.

Goalkeepers (2): Liz Beardsley (Tampa Bay Sun FC; Lakeland, Fla.), Neeku Purcell (Seattle Reign FC; Seattle, Wash.)

Defenders (8): Macy Blackburn (Racing Louisville FC; Fort Worth, Texas), Carolyn Calzada (Portland Thorns FC; Sugar Hill, Ga.), Sydney Cheesman (Louisiana State; Lafayette, Colo.), Leah Klenke (Houston Dash; Houston, Texas), Ayo Oke (Denver Summit FC; Lawrenceville, Ga.), Jayden Perry (Portland Thorns FC; Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.), Evelyn Shores (Angel City FC; Atlanta, Ga.), Sierra Sythe (Wake Forest; Long Beach, Calif.)

Midfielders (7): Sofia Cook (Gotham FC; Huntington Beach, Calif.), Shae Harvey (Portland Thorns FC; Hermosa Beach, Calif.), Ally Lemos (Orlando Pride; Glendora, Calif.), Yuna McCormack (Denver Summit FC; Mill Valley, Calif.), Lexi Missimo (Dallas Trinity FC; Southlake, Texas), Sarah Schupansky (Gotham FC; Pittsburgh, Pa.), Taylor Suarez (Angel City FC; Charlotte, N.C.)

Forwards (7): Jasmine Aikey (Denver Summit FC; Palo Alto, Calif.), Andrea Kitahata (Gotham FC; Hillsborough, Calif.), Karlie Lema (Bay FC; Morgan Hill, Calif.), Hope Leyba (Colorado; Phoenix, Ariz.), Kat Rader (Houston Dash; Stuart, Fla.), Pietra Tordin (Portland Thorns FC; Miami, Fla.), Sarah Weber (Racing Louisville FC; Gretna, Neb.)