MTSU Cheerleading is part of MTSU Spirit Programs, alongside the MTSU Dance Team and Lightning, the mascot. The cheerleaders cheer at every football game and home basketball game, and appear at pep rallies and university, alumni and community events. The 2026 tryouts were held on campus in May. All tryout details are published on the Spirit Programs site rather than the main athletics site, so this guide follows the official 2026-27 Tryout Information page.

Who Can Try Out

• You must be accepted to MTSU before tryouts.
• You must have a current physical, dated within the past 8 months.

What You Need

• A completed online application, plus payment of the $30 tryout fee. You aren’t registered until both are done.
• A physical from the past 8 months, brought to tryouts. Video applicants submit it before the first practice in June.
• A headshot.
• Two letters of recommendation from cheer coaches.

How Tryouts Work

The 2026 tryouts took place over two days, May 2–3:

• Day 1 (Saturday, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.): Clinic. An instructional session where candidates learn and refine the fight song, tumbling technique and stunting, with direct coaching and feedback.
• Day 2 (Sunday, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.): Evaluation. Candidates are assessed on the fight song, running and standing tumbling, and stunts. There are also individual interviews. The team is selected afterward, followed by a short team practice and team photos.

Tryout attire: a black, blue or white top, black shorts and cheer shoes. Wear your hair secured away from your face and full game-day makeup.

Video tryouts

If you have a conflict or live out of state, MTSU accepts video tryouts case by case. You must email Head Coach Brooke Legens and get approval by the deadline (April 20 in 2026). The fee is the same $30.

Recommended Skills

Tumbling

• A standing tuck, required on all surfaces: mat, grass and gym floor.
• A standing back handspring (one or two) to at least a layout.
• At minimum, a round-off back handspring layout.
• Running and/or standing fulls are strongly recommended.

Coed stunting

• Basic toss stunts: hands, extension, lib and cupie.
• Top people should show all body positions (heel stretch, scorpion, scale, arabesque, bow and arrow) and a double down from front and side body positions.

Group stunting

Skills include:

• Switch-ups and twisting switch-ups.
• Full, 1.5 and double ups.
• Low-to-high and high-to-high tick tocks and full arounds.
• Back handspring ups and rewinds.
• Double downs and flipping dismounts.

Candidates are evaluated in their own role: main base, side base, back spot or top. MTSU adds that you “must also be open to trying new skills.”

Summer Commitments

Making the team comes with mandatory summer dates at MTSU. For 2026 these were:

• Three training camps (June, July and August).
• A kids camp.
• A recruitment clinic.
• Media day.

Cheerleaders also move into campus early, the week before classes start.

Coaching Staff

• Brooke Legens — Spirit Program Coordinator, Head Cheer Coach and Head Dance Team Coach (brooke.legens@mtsu.edu).
• Aaliyah Washington — Assistant Cheer Coach.

How to Prepare

• Make your standing tuck surface-proof. MTSU requires it on mat, grass and gym floor, so practice on all three.
• Build toward a standing layout. Progress from a solid back handspring.
• Ask two cheer coaches for letters early.
• Prepare for the interview. It’s part of the evaluation.
• Use Day 1. The clinic is your chance to learn the material and take coaching before you’re judged.

Frequently Asked Questions

When are MTSU cheer tryouts? The 2026 tryouts were May 2–3. As of late September 2026, MTSU hadn’t posted next-cycle dates.

How much does it cost? $30, for both in-person and video tryouts.

Can I try out by video? Case by case, if you have a conflict or live out of state. You need the coach’s approval by the deadline.

Is there a GPA requirement? MTSU’s tryout page doesn’t list a GPA figure. The stated eligibility rule is acceptance to MTSU. Ask the coach about academic expectations.

Related Resources

• University of Tennessee Cheerleading Tryout Guide
• Troy University Cheerleading Tryout Guide
• Cheer Stunts & Tumbling Hub
• College Cheerleading Tryout Guides Directory

Sources: MTSU Spirit Programs, 2026-2027 Season Tryouts, 2026-2027 Team and Coaches and the Spirit Programs home page. Last checked September 23, 2026; tryout page rechecked September 26, 2026.