UCF Cheer is a strictly co-ed team: all the men are bases and all the women are flyers. UCF competes in the Big 12. At UCA College Nationals in January 2026, it finished second in Division IA, its 22nd top-three finish in 31 years. Tryouts are in person only. This guide follows UCF’s official Cheer/Dance Tryouts page and its General Tryout Information for the 2026-27 team.

Who Can Try Out

• Anyone who is a full-time UCF student or has a UCF letter of acceptance. That includes incoming freshmen, current students and transfer students.
• Current UCF students need at least a 2.0 GPA and must not be on academic or disciplinary probation.

UCF strongly recommends applying for admission early. It suggests incoming freshmen apply no later than September or October of their senior year. If you’ve applied but haven’t been accepted by March 1 of your senior year, it asks you to contact its office.

What to Bring on Day 1

For the 2026-27 tryouts, candidates had to bring:

1. A copy of your acceptance letter or UCF student ID.
2. A copy of the front and back of your medical insurance card. You must have medical insurance to take part.
3. Lab results of a sickle cell test. A doctor’s note isn’t enough. UCF warns that results can take up to three weeks, so plan ahead.
4. The completed and signed tryout registration form, including the medical waiver.
5. A general sports physical form, signed by a physician, PA or nurse practitioner, showing a physical in the tryout year and clearance to participate.

What UCF Evaluates

• Tumbling: standing and running, on a regular cheer floor, not a spring floor. Examples include a standing back or front tuck, a standing back handspring back tuck and a running pass. UCF says to show what you can do safely: it looks for overall athleticism and can often teach tumbling once you’re on the team.
• Stunts: extension, liberty, cupie, heel stretch double full to cradle, and shoulder stand. Experienced stunters may be allowed to add difficulty, such as a full up, invert hand-in-hand, rewind or double down, following AACCA safety rules.
• Motions: a cheer and a fight song or band dance, taught at tryouts.
• Toe touch jump (women only).
• Crowd leading: engaging a crowd in a collegiate manner. UCF says not to underestimate this.
• Interview.

A large part of tryouts is partner stunting. UCF notes that many women come from all-girl programs with little co-ed flying experience, so coed stunt practice before tryouts helps.

How Tryouts Work

• The 2026-27 tryouts ran over four days in May (May 7–10, 2026), with attendance required every day.
• They began with a clinic and ran at the College of Education gym, the UKnight Training Center and The Venue on campus.
• Cuts are made after each session until the team is named on the final day.
• The first day is open to the public; the last two days are closed.
• You arrange your own overnight accommodation.

No video tryouts. UCF says you must try out in person in Orlando. If an emergency or illness comes up, contact the coach.

What to wear: UCF recommends black and gold.

• Men: practice shorts and a T-shirt, with no tank tops.
• Women: practice shorts with a T-shirt, tank or full-length sports bra, plus game-ready hair and makeup.
• Everyone: no jewelry, and UCF recommends covering tattoos.

Clinics and Recruiting

UCF’s 2026-27 tryout information says it runs college prep stunt clinics through the year, including in the spring before tryouts. The clinics let the staff do a preliminary evaluation of your skills and admissions standing, and give you a chance to stunt with current team members.

When this guide was checked in September 2026, UCF’s camps and clinics page hadn’t been updated with current dates, and the clinic website named in the tryout packet wasn’t loading. Email spirit@athletics.ucf.edu to ask about upcoming clinic dates.

UCF also asks prospects to fill out its Prospect Information Questionnaire (linked on the tryouts page) so the staff can follow your progress through high school.

How to Prepare

• Women: get co-ed flying experience, through a UCF clinic or private co-ed stunt lessons. See our flyer technique guide.
• Men: build base strength and toss timing for partner stunts. See how to base in cheerleading.
• Tumble on a regular cheer floor, not just a spring floor. That’s where UCF evaluates you. Build from a clean back handspring toward a standing tuck.
• Order your sickle cell test early. Results can take up to three weeks.
• Contact the office yourself. UCF says hearing directly from the athlete, not a parent, makes a better first impression.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is UCF cheer coed or all-girl? Strictly co-ed. The men are bases and the women are flyers.

Can I send a video instead? No. UCF requires an in-person tryout.

What GPA do I need? Current UCF students need a minimum 2.0 GPA and no academic or disciplinary probation.

When are UCF cheer tryouts? The 2026-27 tryouts were May 7–10, 2026. Check the tryouts page for the next cycle.

How do I contact the program? Email spirit@athletics.ucf.edu or call 407-823-2143. UCF Cheer is on Instagram at @UCF.CheerTeam and on X at @UCF_CheerTeam.

Related Resources

• Big 12 Cheer Tryout Guides
• University of South Florida Cheerleading Tryout Guide
• Cheerleading Tryout Tips: How to Stand Out
• College Cheerleading Tryout Guides Directory

Sources: UCF Athletics, Cheer/Dance Tryouts (2026-27), UCF Cheer Team General Tryout Information for 2026-27 Team and “Cheer Concludes 2026 Nationals with Runner-Up Finish” (Jan. 18, 2026). Last checked September 29, 2026.