The University of Cincinnati doesn’t hold formal cheer tryouts. The coaching staff recruits and evaluates athletes over time, mainly through an online recruiting form and on-campus clinics. This guide follows the official Recruitment and Clinics pages on GoBearcats.com.
The Program
- A coed team. UC’s clinic form says the program is coed and everyone is required to stunt. The recruiting form asks whether you’re seeking a spot as a female flyer or a male base.
- Three UCA Game Day national titles, in 2018, 2022 and 2023, all under head coach Tabby Fagan. The Bearcat mascot has won national titles in 2022, 2023 and 2025.
- About 50 members with an average GPA of 3.4, according to the program page. The team cheers at Nippert Stadium and Fifth Third Arena.
- Conference: UC has competed in the Big 12 since 2023.
How to Get Recruited
- Fill out the Official Recruitment Form, linked from the Recruitment page. It asks for your school, all-star gym and coaches, GPA, height and weight, whether you’ve applied to UC, your stunt entries and exits, your tumbling, and a link to a highlight video if you have one.
- Attend a UC clinic. UC calls its clinics “an important evaluation opportunity.” With no formal tryout, clinics are the main way for the staff to see you in person.
- Apply to UC. The recruiting form asks whether you’ve applied and where your application stands.
UC says the staff weighs academic performance, athletic ability and personal character.
Minimum Skills
The recruitment form lists these minimums:
- Standing tumbling: a standing tuck and a standing back handspring back tuck.
- Running tumbling: a round-off back handspring into a tuck, layout or full. A full is preferred.
- Stunting: flyer experience isn’t required. UC notes that most women selected have flown on a coed or all-girl team or have taken many partner stunt lessons. It suggests working on body positions such as a liberty, heel stretch and arabesque, and on twisting and flipping into and out of stunts.
Recruitment Clinics
UC’s recruitment clinic is open to students in grades 9–12 and current college students. Current UC cheerleaders, coaches and alumni teach coed partner stunting, tumbling, jumps and game-day skills. The clinic is coed-focused, so all women take part as flyers and no all-girl stunts are taught.
The most recent posted clinic was the Fall 2026 Recruitment Clinic on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at the Historic Armory Fieldhouse. It cost $120, paid on arrival by card or cash, and required a signed waiver. Shirt colors were assigned by grade, and jewelry and gum weren’t allowed. As of October 1, 2026, UC hadn’t posted the next clinic date. Check the Clinics page.
Contact
Tabby Fagan is Director of Spirit Programs and Head Coach of Cheer, according to the staff directory. The program’s email is uccheerleading@ucmail.uc.edu, and the Spirit Squads office phone is 513-556-3463. UC Cheer is on Instagram at @gobearcatscheer.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are UC cheer tryouts? There aren’t any. UC recruits through its recruiting form and clinics instead of holding a formal tryout.
Is there an all-girl team? No. UC describes the program as coed, and its clinics don’t teach all-girl stunts.
What tumbling do I need? At least a standing tuck, a standing back handspring tuck and a running round-off back handspring to a tuck, layout or full. A full is preferred.
Related Resources
- University of Houston Cheerleading Tryout Guide
- Kansas State University Cheerleading Tryout Guide
- UCF Cheerleading Tryout Guide
- College Cheerleading Tryout Guides Directory
Sources: University of Cincinnati Athletics, Cheerleading Recruitment (including the Official Recruitment Form), Cheerleading Clinics (including the Fall 2026 registration form), Cheerleading, Contact Us, the Staff Directory and the 2025-26 Cincinnati Athletics Annual Report (PDF). Last checked October 1, 2026.
