San Diego State fields two competitive cheer teams, an All-Girl team and a Small Co-Ed team. Tryouts are by invitation only: you send a skills video first, and the coaches invite selected candidates to an in-person tryout. This guide follows the official SDSU Cheerleading tryout page. The dates below are from the 2026 cycle (tryouts for the 2026-27 team). As of September 29, 2026, SDSU hadn’t posted tryout dates for the 2027-28 team.
The Program
- Two teams. The program website describes SDSU as the home of its All-Girl and Small Co-Ed cheer teams.
- Competition. At the 2026 UCA College Nationals in Orlando, SDSU was scheduled in All Girl Division IA, Small Coed Division IA and All Girl Division IA Game Day. In 2025 it placed 5th in All Girl Division IA and 6th in Small Coed Division IA (Varsity).
- Conference. San Diego State joined the Pac-12 on July 1, 2026, after leaving the Mountain West. The 2026-27 season is its first in the new Pac-12.
- Coaches. Jennifer Long is Head Cheerleading Coach and Alexandra de Jong is an Assistant Coach. The staff page also lists several more assistant coaches, a tumbling coach and a strength and conditioning coach.
How Tryouts Worked in 2026
- Skills video uploaded through the online form by April 1, 2026.
- Invitations sent on or before April 5. Invited candidates got a tryout packet by email to complete.
- In-person tryouts on May 7, 8 and 9, 2026.
SDSU asks each candidate whether they will attend SDSU if they make the team, so it can plan numbers for selection.
What the 2026 Video Had to Show
Candidates filmed in full game day look: full makeup and hair for women, clean shaven for men. The video started with your name and current grade, then answers to SDSU’s questions, such as how you became a cheerleader, where you cheer now and why you want to cheer at SDSU.
- Game day: a sideline cheer or chant of your choice. Women also add a four-eight-count dance or band dance.
- Jumps: a toe touch and a second jump of your choice.
- Tumbling: a standing tuck (a standing full is preferred), standing tumbling to a full, running tumbling to a full, and a combo pass through to a full. Without a full, do the passes to layouts. Without a layout, do them to a tuck. Film on a regular cheer floor or grass, not a spring floor.
- Female bases and back spots: at least two clips each of twisting skills, inversions and variety stunts.
- Flyers: at least two clips each of twisting skills, inversions and dismounts, plus a heel stretch, arabesque, scorpion and scale.
- Men: one clip each of toss hands press extension pop down, toss extension, toss lib or toss stretch, and a stunt of your choice with a cradle or full down.
SDSU posts the fight song material on the same page. The women’s version got new motions on April 21, 2026, so check that you learn the current version.
Fall 2026 Clinics
- October Skills Clinic: Saturday, October 24, 2026, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, at Peterson Gym. Registration starts at 9:45 AM. It’s aimed at potential recruits (high school freshmen and older), who learn collegiate stunts and drill skills with the current team.
The clinic needs an online release waiver before it starts. Registration is on the Upcoming Clinics page.
What SDSU Doesn’t Publish
The public tryout page doesn’t list a GPA minimum, a fee or a physical requirement. Invited candidates receive a tryout packet by email, and the coaches can answer questions about anything the page doesn’t cover.
Contact
The program’s Contact page lists Head Coach Jennifer Long (jllong@sdsu.edu) and Assistant Coach Alexandra de Jong (adejong@sdsu.edu).
Frequently Asked Questions
When are SDSU cheer tryouts? For the 2026-27 team, videos were due April 1 and in-person tryouts were May 7-9, 2026. Watch the tryout page for the next cycle’s dates.
Can anyone attend the in-person tryout? No. In 2026, only candidates invited after the video round could attend.
Does SDSU have an all-girl team? Yes. SDSU has an All-Girl team and a Small Co-Ed team.
Related Resources
- How to Film a Cheer Tryout Video
- Fresno State University Cheerleading Tryout Guide
- Texas State University Cheerleading Tryout Guide
- College Cheerleading Tryout Guides Directory
Sources: SDSU Cheerleading, Tryout Information (updated January 13, 2026), Upcoming Clinics, Coaching Staff and Contact. San Diego State Athletics, “San Diego State’s Pac-12 Era is Officially Underway” (July 1, 2026). Varsity, “San Diego State Cheer Schedule At UCA College Nationals 2026”. Last checked September 29, 2026.
