NC State doesn’t post a traditional open tryout with a date, fee and skill list. The Wolfpack cheer program selects its team through an application and recruitment process: you apply to the university, contact the team recruiter, and fill out a prospective student-athlete application. Coaches then weigh your skills together with interviews and your interactions with staff. This guide follows NC State Athletics’ official Team Selection Process page.

Where the cycle stands (September 29, 2026): the selection page is still labelled “Class of 2025-26,” and NC State hasn’t posted a newer version, tryout dates or skill requirements. The steps below are the most recent ones published. Email the recruiter to confirm the current process.

The Selection Steps

1. Apply to NC State. After you apply, email the team recruiter, Jenny Marks, at jrmarks2@ncsu.edu to tell her you’ve applied. Include an unofficial copy of your transcript(s).
2. Complete the prospective student-athlete application. The link is on the selection page. Fill it out after your university application.

What the Coaches Look For

NC State says it wants well-rounded student-athletes who work hard in school, commit to the whole program, are willing to be versatile, and put the team first. Skills matter, but the program says they “are not the only aspect of the tryout process” and don’t guarantee a spot. Your interview and your interactions with coaches and supervisors during recruitment also count.

In practice, that means your emails, your transcript and how you come across in conversations are part of your evaluation, not just your tumbling and stunting.

What NC State Doesn’t Publish

The official pages don’t list tryout dates, a fee, a GPA minimum or required skills. We’ve left those out rather than guess. If you need them, ask the recruiter directly.

Coaching Staff

Jenny Marks was named head coach in July 2025. She cheered for NC State from 1997 to 2001, was a two-year captain, and coached Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh for 28 years. The NC State Athletics staff directory lists her as Head Cheerleading Coach, with assistant coaches Renard Mercer, Rob Coleman and Tyler Braddy, and Rachel Fenton as assistant coach for the mascots.

Program History

NC State has won the NCA Small Coed Division IA national championship six times: 1985, 1990, 1991, 2001, 2016 and 2018. In 2018 it also won its first Game Day Division IA title, the first time the program won two national championships at the same competition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does NC State hold open cheer tryouts? NC State describes an application and recruitment process rather than a posted open tryout. Start by applying to the university and emailing the recruiter.

Who do I contact? Jenny Marks, head coach and team recruiter: jrmarks2@ncsu.edu.

Are skills all that matter? No. NC State says the interview and your interactions with coaches and staff are also considered.

How to Prepare

• Apply to NC State early, and email the recruiter as soon as you’ve applied.
• Keep an unofficial transcript ready to send.
• Treat every email and conversation with the staff as part of your tryout.
• Keep building clean, safe skills. Our guides on the standing back tuck, basing and flying can help.

Related Resources

• University of North Carolina Cheerleading Tryout Guide
• Duke University Cheerleading Tryout Guide
• ACC Cheer Tryout Guides
• College Cheerleading Tryout Guides Directory

Sources: NC State Athletics, NC State Cheerleading Team Selection Process, Marks Named Head Coach of NC State Cheerleading (2025), NC State Cheer Wins Two National Championships (2018) and the staff directory. Last checked September 29, 2026.