NWSL-Karlie Lema Earns U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team Call-Up for February/March International Window
- Jonathan Turner
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
SAN JOSE, Calif. (Feb. 18, 2026) — Bay FC forward Karlie Lema has been selected to join the U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team for its upcoming training camp and international friendlies in Miami, Florida, scheduled for Feb. 27 through March 7.
Lema returns to the U-23 squad for the first time in 2026 as the United States prepares to host Mexico’s U-23 Women’s National Team for a pair of friendly matches. She is one of six Bay FC players set to represent their respective national teams during the February/March international window.
The Bay Area native was twice named to the U-23 roster in 2025, participating in an October training camp in Philadelphia before traveling to Europe in November and December. During the European trip, Lema appeared in both matches, coming off the bench in a 1-0 victory over Slovakia’s senior national team on Nov. 29 and a 4-2 win over England on Dec. 2. Her October selection marked her first national team call-up since representing the U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team in 2020.
Lema headlines a strong Bay FC presence on the international stage this window. Forwards Onyeka Gamero and Alex Pfeiffer will join the U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team as it prepares for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. Midfielder Claire Hutton will represent the U.S. Women’s National Team at the 2026 SheBelieves Cup, while defenders Sydney Collins and Brooklyn Courtnall will compete in the tournament with Canada.
The U-23 Women’s National Team will conclude camp with two matches against Mexico’s U-23 side on March 3 at 9 a.m. PT and March Bay FC opens its 2026 regular season on March 14 with its Home Opener, presented by Sutter Health, against expansion club Denver Summit FC at PayPal Park. Single-match tickets for all 2026 Bay FC home matches are available now at BayFC.com/tickets. Visa is Bay FC’s preferred payment method for ticket purchases.
U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team Roster
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.)
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