Dallas Trinity FC appears to have signed defender Sydney Cheesman, adding a versatile and experienced backline presence to Nathan Thackeray‘s roster for the stretch run of the 2025-26 Super League season. 3rd Degree learned from sources this week that a new defender was coming in, and today, Chessman’s bio was added to the ESPN website page for Dallas Trinity.
Cheesman, a Lafayette, Colorado native, played four seasons of college soccer at two programs. She spent her first two years at North Carolina, where she was part of a Tar Heels side that posted a 20-5-1 record in 2023 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals. Then transferred to LSU for her final two seasons, immediately becoming a cornerstone of the Tigers’ backline.
In her first year in Baton Rouge, she logged a team-high 1,665 minutes, earned All-SEC honors, and helped LSU to its first-ever NCAA Sweet 16 appearance. She finished her college career with 44 appearances, 43 starts, and 3,557 minutes across two seasons with the Tigers.
Cheesman is comfortable at center back or full back and brings an attacking dimension rarely associated with defenders — she finished her college career with two goals and seven assists. LSU head coach Sian Hudson described her as a player who can “create overloads in the attacking third and put excellent quality balls into the box,” a profile that fits what Thackeray asks of his outside backs.
Her national team pedigree runs deep. Cheesman has been part of the U.S. youth system since the U-16 level, including participation in the 2020 UEFA Development Tournament in England.
In February, she was one of 24 players selected to the first U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team training camp of 2026, joining Lexi Missimo — her new Dallas teammate — among the two USL Super League players included on that roster. The camp ran from February 27 through March 7 in South Florida, with two matches against Mexico.
Before signing with Dallas, Cheesman participated in Portland Thorns’ preseason as a non-roster invitee, getting a look at the NWSL level before finding her professional home in the Super League.
“I want to be known as a competitor,” Cheesman said during her senior season at LSU. “Someone who just lays it all on the line and hates losing more than they love to win.”
Dallas Trinity FC continues its 2025-26 Gainbridge Super League campaign on Wednesday, March 18, at the Cotton Bowl against Lexington SC. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. CT. The match streams on WFAA+, Peacock, and TUDN Radio.