Chanhassen athlete Johnny Checheris has been selected to represent Greece on the U23 National Baseball Team — Team Hellas — and will compete in an international tournament in Valencia, Spain, Aug, 4-8.

The University of Sioux Falls Cougars pitcher will travel with Team Hellas to face top European national teams.

For Checheris, the opportunity is deeply personal. His grandfather immigrated to the United States from the island of Chios, Greece, in the early 1940s, and the Checheris family has returned to the island every year since Johnny was a toddler.

“It’s a source of great pride to play for my familial homeland,” Checheris said. “I have the privilege of playing the sport I love internationally and representing Team Hellas, the country of my grandparents’ birth.”

A lifelong Chanhassen athlete, Checheris began with the Chanhassen Athletic Association at age 5, playing baseball, basketball and football.

In 2017, he was part of the Cooperstown team representing Chanhassen. At Chanhassen High School, he helped lead the baseball team to a third-place finish at the 2022 state tournament.

He earned All-Section and All-Conference honors in both 2022 and 2023. He was a standout pitcher and hitter for the Chanhassen Red Birds townball team for four seasons and currently plays for the Webster Black Sox.

Now entering his senior year at the University of Sioux Falls — with two years of eligibility remaining — Checheris balances pitching for the Cougars with a wealth management internship at Morgan Stanley in Wayzata.

His selection to the Greek U23 National Team is a major milestone in a career defined by dedication, resilience and community support.

Baseball remains a developing sport in many parts of Europe, and national teams like Greece often rely on player fundraising for program costs, equipment and tournament expenses. While Checheris’s family is covering his personal travel, each player has been asked to help raise funds for the broader program.

Local supporters can contribute through the official Team Hellas U23 fundraiser: https://app.schoolfundr.org/fund/hellasbaseball2026/X8j0x

Donations of any size will help Checheris and his teammates represent Greece on the international stage.

The Checheris family has long celebrated their Greek-American heritage through annual trips to Chios. Johnny’s selection to wear the Hellas jersey represents a proud generational moment — bridging his grandfather’s immigrant journey with today’s opportunities.

“Johnny has worked hard for this,” said his family. “We’re thrilled he gets to represent both Chanhassen and Greece on the field.”