About California Baptist University Cheerleading

California Baptist University cheerleading supports Lancers athletics in Riverside, California. CBU competes in the Big West Conference, which it joined on July 1, 2026, after nine years in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). The program is run through CBU Athletics, and its 2026-27 coaching staff is led by Head Cheer Coach Sophia Williams.

Who Can Try Out

• You must be accepted to CBU before tryouts.
• You must be a traditional undergraduate or graduate student. CBU says students in its Online and Professional Studies (OPS) programs can’t be on the cheer team.

How Tryouts Work

CBU’s Cheer Tryouts page describes an open tryout in the spring, with a recruit clinic the day before. CBU recommends that every prospective athlete attend the clinic.

Note on dates: as of September 29, 2026, CBU’s tryout page still shows the 2024-25 cycle (clinic April 19 and tryout April 20, 2024). Contact the coaching staff for current dates before you make plans.

Video Tryouts

If you can’t attend in person, you can ask CBU’s coaching staff for approval to do a video tryout. Send the video as a YouTube or Vimeo link, in full game-day hair and makeup and black practice attire. According to CBU, the video should include:

• Introduction: your first and last name and current grade, your cheer experience, where you cheer now, and why you want to cheer at CBU.
• Game-day material: the CBU fight song (CBU provides a tutorial) and a sideline cheer or chant of your choice. CBU evaluates collegiate image, motion technique, memory, crowd leading and showmanship.
• Jumps: a toe touch and a second jump of your choice (required).
• Standing tumbling: a standing tuck is strongly recommended. Add passes such as a toe touch back handspring, 2 BHS to toe touch, BHS to full, or a standing full.
• Running tumbling: one or two passes at your best level. CBU judges both execution and difficulty.

Film every skill on a non-spring floor or grass. CBU will ask you to redo any spring-floor skill on a hard floor.

Qualifying Stunts

• A low-to-high (tick tock) to liberty, with a pop-off.
• A straight-up cupie (extension).
• A power press to a single-leg stunt (lib, heel stretch, arabesque, etc.) and a dismount of your choice.
• Flyers: show a heel stretch, an arabesque and a scale.

If you stunt in more than one position, make sure the whole stunt is visible in each one, and label which position you’re in.

How to Prepare

• Get your paperwork in order. Confirm your CBU admission and your program type (traditional, not OPS) early.
• Tumble on hard surfaces. CBU won’t judge spring-floor skills as-is.
• Know the fight song. It’s part of both the video and the in-person tryout.
• Stunting: see our guides on flying and basing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are CBU cheer tryouts open?

CBU’s tryout page describes an open tryout, with a recommended clinic the day before.

Can I try out by video?

Yes, with approval from the coaching staff. Follow the video requirements above.

Can online (OPS) students join the team?

No. CBU requires cheerleaders to be traditional undergraduate or graduate students.

Who do I contact?

Head Cheer Coach Sophia Williams. Her contact details are on CBU’s cheer coaches page.

Related Resources

• East Tennessee State University Tryout Guide
• Florida International University Tryout Guide
• Complete Cheerleading Tryouts Guide
• College Cheerleading Tryout Guides Directory

Sources: CBU Athletics, Cheer Tryouts (eligibility, process, video and stunt requirements; page shows the 2024-25 cycle) and 2026-27 Cheerleading Coaching Staff; California Baptist Officially Begins Big West Era (conference). Last checked September 29, 2026.