Cheer Collective

College Cheer

College Cheer & STUNT

College cheerleading includes traditional game-day squads and competitive teams governed by USA Cheer. STUNT — the head-to-head game format — was approved as a full NCAA Championship sport in 2025, with the first championship in Spring 2027.

GOVERNING BODY

USA Cheer (rules) + NFHS partnership

RULES UPDATED

2025-26 is a major-changes year

TOP EVENTS

UCA/NCA/UDA/NDA College Nationals

STUNT STATUS

NCAA Championship Sport (starts 2027)

STUNT TEAMS

40+ NCAA schools sponsoring STUNT

INTERNATIONAL

FISU University Championship, ICU

SKILLS & RULES REFERENCE

How legality works (college)

Like school, college does NOT use the 1–7 level system — teams are sorted by division (school size, all-girl vs. coed) and, at some championships, by skill tier (Advanced vs. Intermediate). Binding safety document: the USA Cheer College Cheer Safety Rules (successor to the former AACCA rules). Varsity Spirit runs the two largest championships — UCA and NCA — plus NAIA and NJCAA events.

Divisions & the UCA vs. NCA difference

  • Organized by school size and squad type: Division IA, I, II, III, All-Girl, Coed (Small/Large), Game Day, and Junior College/NAIA.
  • UCA: generally a single skill "level" split by school-size divisions; squads are size-capped (often up to 16); routines tend to require everyone to stunt and tumble.
  • NCA: offers Advanced and Intermediate tiers (Intermediate is roughly comparable to All-Star Level 4), allows larger squads in some divisions, and permits specialists (e.g., a strong base who doesn't tumble).
  • A school generally competes UCA or NCA, not both with the same athletes.

⚠️ Coach legality check

Both UCA and NCA follow USA Cheer college safety rules for what's legal; the divisions, squad sizes, and scoring differ by company. Crowd/timeout segments are restricted to USA Cheer Basketball Timeout Rules.

Skill notes

College is generally the most permissive on difficulty (elite tumbling, high-difficulty coed stunting, basket tosses), but every skill is still bounded by the USA Cheer College Safety Rules — including surface, spotter, and inversion requirements. Build to the current USA Cheer college rulebook and the specific championship's division rules.

TRADITIONAL COLLEGE CHEER

Game-Day Squads

Sideline cheer at football, basketball, and other college events. Primary function of most college programs. May or may not also compete. Governed by USA Cheer safety rules.

Competition Teams

Compete at UCA College Nationals (Walt Disney World) or NCA College Nationals (Daytona Beach). Categories include Traditional and Game Day Live. Some schools have separate competition squads from their sideline squads.

Game Day Live

A specific competition format judged on crowd-leading authenticity. Uses a 100-point scoresheet: Sound Quality (20%), Technical Accuracy (20%), Musicality & Engagement (30%), Overall Impression (30%).

Partner Stunts (Pairs)

College also has individual partner stunt competition categories — separate from team competition. Judged on difficulty and execution of individual stunt sequences.

Big News

STUNT — NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP SPORT

STUNT: A New NCAA Sport Built for Cheerleaders

STUNT is a head-to-head, 4-quarter game between two teams. It strips away the performance elements of cheer and focuses purely on technical execution. NCAA approved STUNT as a full Championship Sport in 2025. First NCAA Championship: Spring 2027.

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Quarter 1

Partner Stunts

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Quarter 2

Pyramids & Tosses

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Quarter 3

Group Jumps & Tumbling

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Quarter 4

Team Performance

Both teams perform the same routine simultaneously. Judges score each team's technical execution — the team with better execution wins the quarter. Best of 4 quarters wins the match. Game-style format makes it spectator-friendly and broadcaster-friendly.