Kentucky has won the UCA Division IA Coed national championship 24 times, more than any other school. The program has two coed teams, the Blue Squad (varsity) and the White Squad (junior varsity), and the most important thing to know before you plan a tryout is that Kentucky tryouts are by invitation only. Invitations are handed out at in-person recruitment clinics. This guide follows UK Athletics’ About the UK Cheerleading Program page and its cheer news and clinic posts.

Where the cycle stands (September 30, 2026): UK’s most recent tryout notice covers the 2025-26 season and says tryouts were by invitation only. UK hasn’t posted 2027-28 tryout dates or new recruitment clinic dates yet. Watch the UK Cheerleading page.

How to Earn a Tryout Invitation

• Attend a recruitment clinic. UK hosts two or three in-person clinics a year, and that’s where invitations are given out. For the 2025-26 cycle, clinics included a Coed Skills Clinic on November 1, 2025 for female flyers and male bases ($100) and Spring Recruitment Clinic II on April 18, 2026 for athletes in 6th grade through college ($125), held at the Seaton Center and Seaton Gymnasium. Registration was online through UK Cheer’s camp registration page, with no walk-ups.
• Clinic paperwork. UK Athletics camps require a physical signed by a physician within the last 12 months and front and back copies of your medical insurance card, uploaded to your registration account.
• Fill out the recruitment form. The UK Cheerleading Recruitment Form asks for your school or competitive program, years of experience, position, the standing and running tumbling passes you compete, coed stunting experience, GPA, social media handles and up to three skills videos.

What UK Looks For

Because both teams are coed, UK says experience as a male base or a female top girl is important. Its published standards:

• Tumbling: a round-off back handspring full is the minimum. UK says 95% of members have much more, and tumbling can set you apart when everything else is even.
• Game day stunts: you must easily perform “IME/Gameday” stunts with multiple partners: all toss stunts, full ups, hands full arounds, tic-tocs and other stunts that don’t need a spotter. UK warns not to skip these basics for elite skills.
• Elite skills: two or three elite skills with a double down from a body position, such as flipping or spinning skills to one leg or one arm.
• Game day presence: voice, smile, and sharp, well-placed motions. This can decide Blue versus White Squad placement.
• Character: UK reviews applicants’ social media, asks past coaches for references, and includes an interview in tryouts.

Blue Squad and White Squad

• Blue Squad (varsity): home and away football, men’s basketball, travel to bowl games and men’s basketball tournaments, occasional gymnastics meets, and competition at UCA College Nationals in Division IA.
• White Squad (junior varsity): home football, home volleyball, women’s basketball, travel to the postseason women’s basketball tournament and occasional gymnastics meets. In January 2026 the White Squad won the University World Cup Cheerleading Premier Large Coed title, UK’s first title in that division.

UK says the program cheers at least 10 football games, 36 basketball games and 10 volleyball matches a year.

Time Commitment and Benefits

• Practice three to four days a week for 2 to 2.5 hours (UK lists Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday), with different practices during nationals season.
• Workouts three days a week for men and two days a week for women, plus five hours a week of study hall at the CATS academic center.
• Over $800 in Nike gear, strength and conditioning and nutrition support, free travel for games and competition, and no out-of-pocket fees during the year.
• UK says everyone in the program receives some type of scholarship, with amounts based on GPA, skill level, years in the program and need.

UK’s public pages don’t list a minimum GPA or a tryout fee.

Coaching Staff and Contact

The 2026-27 UK Cheerleading roster lists Ryan Martin O’Connor as head coach, with assistant coaches Whitney Agee, Ryan Bethay and Hunter Henderson. For questions about the cheer program, email UKCheer@uky.edu. Kentucky Cheer is on Instagram at @kentuckycheer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can anyone try out for Kentucky cheer?

No. Tryouts are by invitation only, and invitations are handed out at UK’s in-person recruitment clinics.

What tumbling do I need for UK cheer?

A round-off back handspring full is the minimum. Most members have much more.

Is there an all-girl team at Kentucky?

No. Both UK teams, the Blue Squad and the White Squad, are coed.

How many national titles has Kentucky won?

Kentucky has won the UCA Division IA Coed title 24 times. In January 2026 it finished third in that division, and the White Squad won the UWCC Premier Large Coed title.

Related Resources

• SEC Cheer Tryout Guides
• Western Kentucky University Cheerleading Tryout Guide
• Eastern Kentucky University Cheerleading Tryout Guide
• How to Base in Cheerleading
• College Cheerleading Tryout Guides Directory

Sources: UK Athletics, About the UK Cheerleading Program, Kentucky Cheerleading 2025-26 Tryout Information, Kentucky Cheer Coed Skills Clinic (2025), Kentucky Cheer Spring Recruitment Clinic II (2026), “Kentucky Cheerleading Wins UWCC Title, Finishes Third in UCA” (2026), the 2026-27 Cheerleading Roster and the UK Cheerleading Recruitment Form. Last checked September 30, 2026.