Penn State Welcomes Cheatham to Women’s Soccer Program – Penn State

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women’s soccer program and head coach Erica Dambach announced the signing of junior forward Taylor Cheatham from UCLA Wednesday afternoon. The Plano, Texas, native Cheatham arrives in Happy Valley with two seasons of eligibility remaining after spending a pair of years in Westwood.

“I am beyond excited to welcome Taylor into the Penn State women’s soccer family,” Dambach said. “The moment we saw Taylor enter the transfer portal; we knew that she would be a tremendous addition to our program. Her combination of elite talent and high degree of character made her a can’t-miss prospect for us over the next few years. Her experience within the new-look Big Ten Conference will be invaluable for us, and her commitment to growing and developing as both a student-athlete and as an individual will push her to success in Happy Valley.”

One of the nation’s most coveted prospects coming out of the ECNL ranks, Cheatham arrives in Happy Valley following two seasons with the transcontinental Big Ten Conference rival UCLA Bruins. Cheatham appeared in 34 matches over her pair of seasons in Southern California, amassing four total points split between a goal and two assists. She accumulated 766 minutes of playing time, finishing with 32 shots and 12 on-target shot attempts in her introductory seasons with UCLA. Cheatham is fresh off a 2024 campaign that saw her haul in Academic All-Big Ten accolades in recognition of her academic prowess off the pitch, paired with a Big Ten Championship run on the field. A valuable contributor to the Bruin attack off the bench, Cheatham notched her first collegiate goal in the Big Ten Tournament title match against Rutgers.

“My circumstance is a little different than most; I entered the portal a week before it closed, leaving me with minimal time to make the important decision of where my new home was going to be,” Cheatham explained. “Coach Dambach was my first call with any coach, and instantly, I loved her. Throughout the overwhelming recruiting process, I found myself always thinking about Penn State, which led me to have another conversation with Coach that sealed the deal. The staff’s reaction when I decided to be a Penn Stater washed away any and all worries that I could’ve had. Without ever going on a visit, the warmth and unwavering excitement and belief the Penn State coaches had in recruiting me allowed me to be fully confident that Happy Valley was going to be…