Northwestern doesn’t post a cheer tryout packet, dates or a skills list. Its Northwestern Cheerleading page still invites students to ask about the 2023-24 Spirit Squad. As of September 29, 2026, no tryout details for the 2026-27 or 2027-28 teams have been posted. The way in is to contact the Spirit Squad staff directly. This short guide covers what Northwestern has published and who to contact.

About Northwestern Cheer

• Who can join. Northwestern’s events calendar describes the team as current Northwestern students, “supported and funded by Northwestern Athletics.”
• A game-day team. The same description calls it a traditional game-day team that stunts, tumbles, dances and leads sideline cheers. The team cheers at football and basketball games and makes community appearances.
• Small squad. Eleven cheerleaders competed at NCA College Camp in summer 2025. Northwestern Athletics calls it the smallest cheerleading program in the Big Ten.
• Recent results. At 2025 NCA College Camp, the team earned the program’s first Silver Paid Bid and placed second in both Game Day and Rally Routine. Under the current coach it also placed second in the 2021 All-Girl D1A Rally Routine and the 2023 All-Girl Intermediate Division at NCA College Camp.

Who Runs the Program

Valerie Ruiz is Spirit Squad Director and Head Cheerleading Coach. She has led the program since May 2021 and previously coached at DePaul, Chicago State and Loyola. The Northwestern Athletics staff directory lists two assistant coaches, Mary Sullivan and Savannah Kafkas, and a team manager.

How to Ask About Tryouts

• Email the head coach at valerie@northwestern.edu. This is the tryout contact on the cheerleading page.
• Spirit Squad email: NUspirit@northwestern.edu (listed for the team manager in the staff directory).
• Spirit Squads office: 847-467-1457 (Ryan Field campus).

Ask when the next tryout is, what skills it covers, and whether incoming first-year students can try out before they arrive on campus.

What Northwestern Doesn’t Publish

Northwestern doesn’t post a tryout date, skills minimum, GPA rule or fee, and it doesn’t say whether the current squad is coed or all-girl. Until you hear from the staff, work on the skills the team uses on game days: motions, jumps, tumbling, stunting and dance. Our tryout tips cover how to prepare.

Frequently Asked Questions

When are Northwestern cheer tryouts? Northwestern hasn’t posted a date. Email Valerie Ruiz or NUspirit@northwestern.edu to ask.

Do I have to be a Northwestern student? Yes. Northwestern describes team members as current Northwestern students.

How big is the team? Eleven cheerleaders competed at NCA camp in 2025, and Northwestern Athletics called it the smallest cheer program in the Big Ten.

Related Resources

• University of Illinois Cheerleading Tryout Guide
• Purdue University Cheerleading Tryout Guide
• Penn State University Cheerleading Tryout Guide
• College Cheerleading Tryout Guides Directory

Sources: Northwestern Athletics, Northwestern Cheerleading, “Northwestern Cheer Continues to Raise the Bar” (October 14, 2025), Valerie Ruiz bio and Staff Directory; Northwestern’s PlanIt Purple listing for Northwestern Cheerleading. Last checked September 29, 2026.