TEMPE, Ariz. -- Arizona State soccer freshman midfielder Alexia Delgado will join the Mexican Women's National Team in Cyprus for the 2019 Cyprus Cup set to begin later this month.
"This is absolutely fantastic news," Arizona State head soccer coach Graham Winkworth said. "To be called up to represent your country at any time is a big deal, but to make the full national team is about as big as it gets. When we recruited Alexia, we made it very clear that we wanted to support and prepare her in her journey with the Mexican National Team. She aspires to play in the 2023 World Cup and we want to prepare her the best we can to help her achieve this goal. I am so happy for her as this could not happen to a nicer young lady."
In her first season with the Sun Devils, Delgado scored three goals, while helping facilitate the Sun Devil offense through the midfield in 2018.
"I was so excited when I saw the email," Delgado said of the international call-up. "Honestly, I was not expecting to receive one. I wanted to cry when I saw it."
Delgado will join the team on the Mediterranean-island later this week to begin preparations for their first match of the event against Italy on Feb. 27.
"One thing that we are very clear on when recruiting players both from the United States and Internationally is that ASU and our staff will support their careers with their national teams," Winkworth said of Delgado's call. "We feel it is our duty to help them reach their goals. We are working hard to be a program that helps players play at the highest levels for their countries and if they choose, create professional careers for themselves like Cali and Jemma have done most recently with the Washington Spirit and Liverpool."
With her international experience this summer, Delgado will join former Sun Devil's Amy LePeilbet and Stacey Tullock as the third ASU player to play for their full women's national teams in Sun Devil Soccer history.
"I have to dream big," Delgado added. "I want to be in every camp. My ultimate goal is to play in the Olympics and the 2023 World Cup."
With a strong showing in Cyprus, Delgado could catapult herself into consideration for the squad moving forward. Her first opportunity will come against Italy on Feb. 27, and a second will follow just behind it with a March 1 meeting with Thailand.
Fans can follow all of the action from the international competition here, or by following @SunDevilSoccer on Twitter.
"This is absolutely fantastic news," Arizona State head soccer coach Graham Winkworth said. "To be called up to represent your country at any time is a big deal, but to make the full national team is about as big as it gets. When we recruited Alexia, we made it very clear that we wanted to support and prepare her in her journey with the Mexican National Team. She aspires to play in the 2023 World Cup and we want to prepare her the best we can to help her achieve this goal. I am so happy for her as this could not happen to a nicer young lady."
In her first season with the Sun Devils, Delgado scored three goals, while helping facilitate the Sun Devil offense through the midfield in 2018.
"I was so excited when I saw the email," Delgado said of the international call-up. "Honestly, I was not expecting to receive one. I wanted to cry when I saw it."
Delgado will join the team on the Mediterranean-island later this week to begin preparations for their first match of the event against Italy on Feb. 27.
"One thing that we are very clear on when recruiting players both from the United States and Internationally is that ASU and our staff will support their careers with their national teams," Winkworth said of Delgado's call. "We feel it is our duty to help them reach their goals. We are working hard to be a program that helps players play at the highest levels for their countries and if they choose, create professional careers for themselves like Cali and Jemma have done most recently with the Washington Spirit and Liverpool."
With her international experience this summer, Delgado will join former Sun Devil's Amy LePeilbet and Stacey Tullock as the third ASU player to play for their full women's national teams in Sun Devil Soccer history.
"I have to dream big," Delgado added. "I want to be in every camp. My ultimate goal is to play in the Olympics and the 2023 World Cup."
With a strong showing in Cyprus, Delgado could catapult herself into consideration for the squad moving forward. Her first opportunity will come against Italy on Feb. 27, and a second will follow just behind it with a March 1 meeting with Thailand.
Fans can follow all of the action from the international competition here, or by following @SunDevilSoccer on Twitter.