CU Boulder picks most of its cheerleaders through a video recruitment process, not a one-day tryout. For the 2027-28 team, high school athletes in the class of 2027 register and submit skill videos by December 7, 2026 (11:59 p.m.), and CU recommends attending its Recruitment Clinic on October 18, 2026. This guide follows CU Athletics’ Cheerleading Recruitment 2027 page.
The Program
- Size: CU says its cheerleading program has 44 athletes.
- Games: football (home and away), the Stampede on Pearl Street before every home football game, soccer, volleyball, and men’s and women’s basketball, including postseason travel for basketball.
- Competition: the team competes at UCA College Nationals in Orlando every January, in Division IA Small Coed and Division IA All Girl Game Day.
- Conference: Colorado competes in the Big 12.
Admission Comes First
You must be admitted to CU Boulder before the program can offer you a spot. CU asks recruits to apply to the university early and keep the coaching staff updated on their admission status. Positions won’t be offered until February 2027.
2027 Recruitment Timeline
- December 7, 2026: deadline to register and submit videos (11:59 p.m.). Late videos aren’t viewed.
- December 15, 2026: first emails go out, telling each athlete whether they’re still being considered for the 2027-28 team.
- January 1, 2027: finalist emails start going out.
- February 2027: positions are offered.
The link for uploading your videos comes in the confirmation email after you register.
What the Video Must Include
- Questions: your name, hometown, high school or all-star team, position, and answers about why you want CU, what you’ll study, why you want this program, your strengths and what you’re working to improve.
- Game day: the CU Fight Song (women with a standing tuck, men with a toss extension) and, for women only, the fight sequence with a standing tuck, filmed from the front and back. Coaches judge sideline presence, motion technique, sharpness and placement, and energy leading the crowd.
- Skills: include every skill you have. You don’t need them all.
- Standing tumbling: standing tuck, back handspring tuck, two back handsprings to tuck/layout/full, back handspring layout or full, standing full.
- Running tumbling: cartwheel full, roundoff full, roundoff back handspring full, or other elite passes.
- Coed partner stunts: single-base skills from each category: hands stunts, toss stunts, spinning stunts (full-ups, full arounds, double ups), flipping stunts (front and back handspring ups, rewinds, hand-in-hands) and a double down from a body position.
- All-girl group stunts: spinning stunts, pull-throughs, flipping stunts and a double down. Men may not group stunt.
Video Rules
- Perform every skill on a hard floor or grass. Videos shot on a spring floor, air track, tumble track or rod floor won’t be evaluated.
- Don’t crop stunt clips. Show each skill from start to finish, including the dismount.
- Label each section, speak clearly, and film from an angle where the judges can see you.
Recruitment Clinic: October 18, 2026
- Where and when: CU Event Center, 9:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. (check-in 8:30 a.m.).
- Learn before you arrive: the CU Fight Song, with a standing tuck for women and a toss extension for men.
- What happens: small groups clean and perform game-day material, work on elite-level stunting and show tumbling.
- What to wear: cheer shoes with shorts or spandex for women, and cheer shoes and shorts for men. Shirt color depends on your grade: grey for freshmen and sophomores, black for juniors, white for seniors and transfers.
- Clinic athletes must have their own health insurance. CU’s Cheer Clinics page has registration and also describes stunt and flyer clinics.
CU says it’s “HIGHLY recommended” to attend a clinic so the coaches can meet you in person and see you work with current team members.
What CU Looks For
CU says it wants well-rounded athletes who conduct themselves professionally and have strong academic records, and it values communication. Reach out to the staff and current team members to share your interest.
Team Benefits
- The chance to letter each year, and priority class registration.
- A team strength and conditioning coach, with team workouts twice a week, and a team athletic trainer.
- Meals in the athletic dining hall, locker rooms, Nike and Lululemon gear, and per diem on trips.
- Access to CU’s Psychological Health & Performance office and early access to student-athlete parking passes.
Contact
CU’s staff directory lists Alicia Zaragoza (Assistant Cheer Coach) for Spirit Squad/Cheer/Dance/Mascot, at alicia.zaragoza@colorado.edu. The program posts updates on Instagram at @cubuffscheer.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the CU cheer tryout? For the 2027-28 team, CU recruits by video: register and submit by December 7, 2026. The in-person Recruitment Clinic is October 18, 2026.
Do I need to be admitted to CU first? Yes, before you can receive an offer. Apply early and keep the coaches updated.
Does CU cheer compete? Yes. The team competes at UCA College Nationals in Orlando every January.
I’m already a CU student. How do I join? CU’s recruitment page is written for the high school class of 2027, and the clinic is also open to transfers. CU doesn’t publish a separate process for current students, so email the coaching staff.
Related Resources
- How to Do a Standing Back Tuck
- How to Be a Better Cheerleading Flyer
- University of Utah Cheerleading Tryout Guide
- College Cheerleading Tryout Guides Directory
Sources: CU Athletics, Cheerleading Recruitment 2027, Cheerleading Program, Cheer Clinics 2026-2027 and Staff Directory. Last checked September 30, 2026.
