The University of Minnesota doesn’t hold traditional cheer tryouts. In 2020 the Gopher Spirit Squad moved to a full recruiting model: athletes are evaluated through clinics, a recruit questionnaire and a recruit video, and those who receive an offer sign a Letter of Intent for a roster spot. This guide follows the program’s official Minnesota Cheer recruiting page, which is linked from the Gopher Spirit Squad site.

Where the cycle stands (September 30, 2026): recruiting is under way for the 2027-28 cheer team. Minnesota’s recruiting page gives November 11, 2026 as the opening of the signing period for that team.

About Gopher Cheer

• Game days: the cheerleaders cheer at all home and away football games and all home basketball games.
• Coed and All-Girl: the team uses both Coed and All-Girl groups and competes at the UCA College National Championships.
• National titles: in January 2026, Minnesota defended its D1A Small Coed Game Day national title (its first cheer title came in 2025) and placed third in D1A Small Coed.
• Hockey cheer: Minnesota also has a separate hockey cheerleading team, which combines figure skating with cheerleading and supports men’s hockey at home games.

The Recruiting Timeline

• Freshman to junior year of high school: research schools and programs, attend clinics, submit the Recruit Questionnaire, and let the coaches know if you’ll be at Minnesota-area or large national competitions where they could see you. Keep your GPA and test scores strong.
• Summer before senior year: resubmit the questionnaire with updated information, apply to the University of Minnesota, and start gathering clips for your Official Recruit Video.
• Fall of senior year: keep attending clinics, submit your Official Recruit Video and a reference, make an official visit, and sign a Letter of Intent if you receive an offer.

Skills Minnesota Looks For

• Tumbling: a solid standing tuck and a round off-handspring-full, done on a dead mat.
• Stunting: strong game-day fundamentals, including extensions, liberties and other single-leg body positions, cupies and full-ups, built quickly and held with stability at the extended level.
• Bonus skills: elite stunts such as back handspring-ups, hand-in-hands and other spinning skills; specialty tumbling such as arabians and whips; or standing tumbling that ends in a full.

Minnesota says character is the most important factor in team selection: it wants athletes who put the team first and uphold the program’s standards “even when no one is watching.”

The Recruit Video

Minnesota’s video guidelines were written for the 2022-23 team but are still linked from the current questionnaire. They suggest:

1. Introduction (0:30–1:00): talk about yourself. Minnesota cheerleaders speak with fans, alumni and donors, so coaches want to see you’re comfortable doing that.
2. Tumbling (0:15–0:45): a standing tuck and a round off-handspring-full, plus any standing series or specialty passes. Tumble on a dead mat; if you show a skill on a spring floor or tumble track, say so.
3. Stunting (0:30–1:30): game-day skills in your preferred position, plus any elite skills. Show other positions too if you can play them.

Upload the video to YouTube or Google Drive and email the link to the coaches. The guidelines also ask for your current transcript and a letter of recommendation from a coach who knows you well.

Clinics and Recruiting Events

Minnesota’s cheerleaders run clinics through the year. The Fall Clinic on September 26, 2026 was the last of 2026, and the program says clinics resume in February 2027 after UCA College Nationals. In 2026 the schedule included an Elite 100 Recruiting Clinic (March 28) for high school athletes and older, with a recruiting information session. The recruiting page also lists a Minnesota coach at the USA Cheer combine at Campo Verde High School near Phoenix on October 25, 2026. Check the clinics page for 2027 dates.

Coaches and Contact

Amanda Gaines is Spirit Squad Program Director and Head Coach; she was named to the role in April 2025. Dan Weaver is the Cheer Team Coach and has led the Gophers since 2019. The athletics staff directory lists Abby DeThorne and Matt Reiser as assistant cheer coaches. For recruiting questions or to send video, transcripts and references, email Coach Weaver at dweave@umn.edu.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Minnesota hold cheer tryouts?

No. Since 2020 the team has been selected through recruiting, and athletes sign a Letter of Intent for a roster spot.

What tumbling do I need?

Minnesota wants a solid standing tuck and a round off-handspring-full on a dead mat. Standing fulls and specialty passes help you stand out.

When is signing for the 2027-28 team?

Minnesota’s recruiting page gives November 11, 2026 as the opening of the signing period.

How do I get on the coaches’ radar?

Submit the Recruit Questionnaire, attend clinics, and email the coaches about events where they could see you perform.

Related Resources

• University of Wisconsin Cheerleading Tryout Guide
• University of Iowa Cheerleading Tryout Guide
• How to Film a Cheer Tryout Video
• Big Ten Cheer Tryout Guides
• College Cheerleading Tryout Guides Directory

Sources: Minnesota Cheer, Recruits, About the Team, Staff and Clinics; University of Minnesota Athletics, Gopher Cheer, Gopher Hockey Cheer, Recruit Questionnaire, Recruit Video & Letter of Recommendation Guidelines (PDF), “Gophers Defend Titles at UCA & UDA Championships” (January 18, 2026), “Amanda Gaines Named Spirit Squad Program Director/Head Coach” (April 14, 2025) and Staff Directory. Last checked September 30, 2026.