East Carolina University competes as the ECU Pirates in the American Athletic Conference. ECU Cheerleading is part of the athletics department’s Spirit Group, alongside the Dance Team and the mascot, PeeDee. The biggest change for anyone searching “ECU cheer tryouts”: ECU now selects its cheerleaders through a video submission followed by an invite-only live selection, not an open tryout. This guide follows the official ECU Cheerleading page and its 2026-27 Team Selection Process packet.

Where the cycle stands (September 30, 2026): selection for the 2026-27 teams finished in spring 2026. ECU hasn’t posted a packet or dates for 2027-28 yet. The 2026-27 details below show how the most recent cycle worked.

The Teams

• Small Coed: men and women who work mainly on group stunting (two bases, one flyer and one backspot).
• Large Coed: men and women who work mainly on partner stunting (one base and one flyer).
• Game days: both teams cheer at all home football games, men’s and women’s home basketball games, and other athletic and campus events.
• Competition: ECU later builds competition teams from both game day squads. For 2027 it plans to enter NCA in Daytona Beach in Large Coed Intermediate and Small Coed Advanced. Making a game day team doesn’t guarantee a spot on a competition team.

ECU won the 2021 NCA Intermediate Large Coed national championship.

Who Can Try Out

High school seniors planning to attend ECU and current ECU students can try out. Candidates must:

• be admitted to ECU and submit proof of acceptance;
• keep a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 (the athletics department standard);
• be enrolled full-time: at least 12 credit hours for undergraduates (unless a graduating senior with approval) or 9 for graduate students;
• complete the tryout application and waiver, and verify health insurance.

How Selection Worked for 2026-27

1. Apply and be admitted to ECU. Upload proof of acceptance for the fall semester, such as the admission email or letter.
2. Complete the tryout application form.
3. Submit skills videos for Small Coed, Large Coed or both (see below).
4. Submit a full-body photo in tryout apparel with a “gameday appearance”: sports bra or fitted tank with shorts or spandex for women, a T-shirt and athletic shorts for men.
5. Wait for an invitation. Everything was due April 24, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Invitations to the live portion went out by May 1.
6. Live selection (invite only): Friday, May 29 (5–9 p.m.), Saturday, May 30 (9 a.m.–6 p.m.) and Sunday, May 31, 2026 (9 a.m.–2 p.m.), with a team meeting after the announcement.

Candidates invited to the live portion must then submit a physical exam dated after January 31 of that year, a health history form, sickle cell (HGB solubility) lab results, a waiver, and the front and back of their insurance card. ECU notes that sickle cell results take one to two weeks, so start early.

What to Put in Your Video

• Running tumbling: up to three passes of your highest difficulty, on a non-spring floor and without a spot.
• Standing tumbling: up to three passes, non-spring floor, no spot. One must be a series of three back handsprings, or two back handsprings to a layout or full if you can.
• Jumps (optional): a triple jump combination with at least two different jumps, ideally into a back handspring or back tuck.
• Standing tuck or full (optional), if you have one.
• Small Coed stunts: a full up, a back handspring up, and a stunt of your choice showing difficulty, preferably an inversion. These should be group stunts.
• Large Coed stunts: walk-in hands lib, toss target with a full pop-off, toss stretch, and a stunt of your choice, preferably an inversion. These should be partner stunts.
• Flyers: body positions in the air, plus a double down and a kick double basket if you can.

If you can’t film the exact skills because of partners or facilities, ECU accepts similar skills. Men with strong tumbling but less stunting, or with stunting but no tumbling, should still send their most difficult stunts. Don’t include any skill you can’t perform safely. For filming tips, see How to Film a Cheer Tryout Video.

Benefits and Commitment

• Uniforms, practice clothes and footwear, and NCA camp for selected members.
• Full access to a team doctor, athletic trainer and strength and conditioning coach, with training in the Murphy Center.
• Early registration.
• Travel to support ECU teams.

ECU’s cheer FAQ says the season runs from about a week and a half before fall classes through April, at up to 20 hours a week of practices, weights, games and appearances. Team members can’t cheer for an all-star team or club during the season. ECU offers partial scholarships, funded by outside donations, to third- and fourth-year members with at least a 2.50 GPA. There are no out-of-state tuition waivers.

Coaches and Contact

Maddi Lamm is ECU’s head cheerleading coach. She was named in December 2024, succeeding Susie Glynn, who led the program for 23 years. Lamm cheered at ECU and was an assistant coach from 2018 to 2024. The 2025-26 staff list also names Kaitlyn Glynn and Lillie Taylor as assistant cheerleading coaches (coaching staff). For questions, email ecuspirit@ecu.edu.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does ECU hold open cheer tryouts?

Not for 2026-27. Candidates first sent an application, proof of admission, skills videos and a photo, and only invited candidates attended the live selection.

What GPA do I need for ECU cheer?

A cumulative GPA of at least 2.0, plus full-time enrollment.

Does ECU cheer compete?

Yes. ECU builds competition teams from its game day squads. For 2027 it plans to compete at NCA in Daytona Beach in Large Coed Intermediate and Small Coed Advanced.

When will 2027-28 tryout information be posted?

ECU hadn’t posted it as of September 30, 2026. The 2026-27 packet was dated March 2026, with videos due in late April, so watch the official cheer page in early spring.

Related Resources

• How to Film a Cheer Tryout Video
• All-Girl vs. Coed Cheer
• How to Be a Better Cheerleading Flyer
• College Cheerleading Tryout Guides Directory

Sources: ECU Athletics, ECU Cheerleading, 2026-2027 Team Selection Process, Cheer FAQ, Spirit coaching staff and Lamm Named Head Cheerleading Coach (2024). Last checked September 30, 2026.