All-girl and coed cheer teams do the same job: lead the crowd, perform at games and, for many teams, compete. The big difference is how they stunt. All-girl teams build stunts with groups of bases, while coed teams add partner stunts where one base, usually a man, lifts a flyer on his own. This guide explains the official definitions, how stunting and positions differ, which kinds of college programs you’ll find, and how to decide where you fit.

The Official Definitions

Competition rules define the categories by the number of male athletes on the mat. The 2025-26 NCA & NDA College Rules set these divisions for college cheer:

• All Girl: no male participants.
• Small Coed: 1 to 4 male participants.
• Large Coed: 5 to 12 male participants, with a maximum that depends on team size (for example, a 20-athlete team can have up to 12 men).

NCA college team routines allow 10 to 20 participants. NCA also runs a Partner Stunt division and an All Girl Group Stunt division, where groups may have up to four members, all female. Competition rules change each season, so check the current rulebook for your event.

How Stunting Differs

All-girl stunting

All-girl stunts use multiple bases, typically a main base, a side base and a backspot, sometimes with a front spot. Power comes from the legs. In a Varsity Spirit stunting article, the author notes that most all-girl bases will say their power comes from their legs, and that it should travel through the shoulders and out through locked arms. Timing and synchronization within the group are what make the stunt look clean.

Coed stunting

Coed teams do group stunts too, but they’re known for stunts with a single base. USASF rules describe a “coed style toss” as one where a single base grabs the top person at the waist and tosses them from ground level. Programs that run coed partner stunting test it directly. Arizona’s 2026 tryout had flyers perform hands extensions, toss extensions and hands liberties with random partners. Clemson’s 2026-27 recruitment video lists partner stunts including a toss extension, liberty and cupie, plus an elite combination of the candidate’s choice.

Safety rules apply to both

USA Cheer’s 2026-27 college rules require a spotter for one-arm stunts other than a single cupie or a basic liberty, such as a double cupie, heel stretch, arabesque or scorpion. Some advanced basket toss skills are allowed only when both side throwers and the backspot are male. Whatever team you’re on, learn stunts through progressions with a qualified coach and trained spotters.

Positions on Each Type of Team

Real rosters show how this works. Clemson listed openings for 2026-27 in four categories: flyer, backspot, main/side base and coed base. Arizona’s coed team uses only male bases and female flyers and offers no all-girl or multi-base positions.

Which College Programs Have Which Teams?

It varies a lot. A few examples from programs’ own pages and packets:

• Both all-girl and coed: Clemson (36 to 40 athletes across its All-Girl and Coed teams) and Mississippi State, whose spirit roster lists both All Girl and Coed positions.
• One coed team: Auburn selected one coed squad of 10 women, 10 men and a mic-man for 2026-27. Arizona fields a coed partner-stunt team of 18 to 30 members.

Team structures change, so confirm on the program’s current tryout page. Our College Cheerleading Tryout Guides Directory links to school-specific guides.

Skill Expectations Vary by Program and Position

Tumbling and stunt requirements depend on the school and your role, not just whether the team is all-girl or coed:

• Arizona requires its flyers to meet standing and running tumbling requirements. Tumbling is preferred for male bases but not required.
• Auburn required women to show a back handspring, standing back tuck and a running pass. Tumbling wasn’t required for men.
• Clemson’s first-round video asks for consecutive standing tucks or fulls and running passes.

Read the requirements for each position at each school you’re considering.

A Note on Body Size

Flyer size comes up often, especially for coed. Technique matters more than people expect. The same Varsity Spirit article notes that a top person with more weight but great technique is often easier to stunt with than a lighter person with poor technique. The American Academy of Pediatrics also warns that cheer athletes sometimes feel pressure to look a certain way, which can lead to negative body image and not eating enough. Focus on body control, strength and technique, and talk to a health professional if you feel pressure about your weight.

How to Decide Which Fits You

All-girl may suit you if you’re a woman who enjoys group stunting, you’re a strong base or backspot in a multi-base group, or you want to compete in all-girl divisions.

Coed may suit you if you’re a man who wants to base partner stunts, or a flyer with strong body control who wants to learn partner stunting.

Many programs, such as Clemson, let you show more than one stunt position. If you’re unsure, train both styles at a gym or clinic with a qualified coach and ask for feedback. See our guides to basing, flying and what college cheer coaches look for.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is all-girl or coed cheer harder?

Neither is simply harder. They demand different things. All-girl stunting depends on timing within a group of bases, while coed partner stunting puts more load on a single base and asks a lot of the flyer’s body control.

Can a team with one male athlete compete as all-girl?

Not under the NCA college rules. All Girl means no male participants. A team with 1 to 4 men competes as Small Coed.

Can I switch from all-girl to coed?

Yes, athletes do switch, but partner stunting is a new skill set. Learn it through progressions with a qualified coach and spotters before you try out for a coed position.

Do coed programs offer more scholarships?

Scholarships and other benefits depend on the school, not the team type. Ask each program directly.

Sources: NCA & NDA, 2025-26 College Rules & Regulations; USA Cheer, 2026-27 College Cheer Rules; USASF, Cheer Rules (effective June 1, 2026); Varsity Spirit, Skills and Drills: Stunt Basics; American Academy of Pediatrics, Cheerleading (HealthyChildren.org); program materials from Clemson, Clemson Cheerleading, Arizona, Auburn and Mississippi State. Last checked October 1, 2026.