Completed Event: Soccer at Omaha on August 12, 2026 , Win , 1, to, 0
Final
Soccer
1
Omaha
0
Iowa State University Athletics
IOWA STATE SPIRIT SQUAD
CHEERLEADING | DANCE | CY: THE MASCOT
Want Cy or the Spirit Squad to attend your event? For more information and to book your appearance, click here!
Help support the Iowa State Spirit Squad program! Donate here today!
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY FINANCIAL AID & SCHOLARSHIP
See the below links for help in this area:
Office of Student Financial Aid
Scholarships – Office of Student Financial Aid
Tuition and Fees - Iowa State University
Scholarships - Iowa State University
CHEER TEAM
The Iowa State Cheerleading program consists of a Co Ed and All Girl team. Numbers vary each year and are at the discretion of the coaches. Both teams perform at various Cyclone sporting events such as: football, volleyball, and men's and women's basketball. We also compete nationally at the NCA College Nationals in Daytona Beach, Florida.
CLINICS RECRUITMENT TEAM TRYOUTS
STAFF
Liza LoVan - Head Coach
Romie Williams - Assistant Coach
Kearstyn Lennon - Assistant Coach
SOCIAL MEDIA
Please follow us on Instagram @cyclonecheer and Facebook @Iowa State Cheerleading
TEAM BENEFITS & EXPECTATIONS
- Scholarship opportunities
- Letter jacket qualifications
- Paid uniforms and most accessories
- Travel opportunities to away games and tournaments - all expenses paid
- Competition team travel - all expenses paid
- Cheering in the Big 12 Conference
- Nationally competitive
All Cheer Squad members are expected to attend the following:
- Summer practice days during June, July, and August.
- NCA College Cheerleading Camp, end of July or beginning of August.
- All practices (3-4 nights each week, 2-3 hours each).
- All workouts outside of practice.
- All home football games
- Assigned volleyball, basketball and gymnastics events (rotations).
- Various games & practices during Thanksgiving, winter and spring breaks.
- Four required/requested appearances.
Academics:
- Enrollment in a minimum of 12 credit hours at Iowa State University each semester.
- Maintain a 2.0 Cumulative GPA throughout time on squad.
Fundraising:
- Participation in all fundraising efforts and events required of the Spirit Squads.
Other:
- Participation in cheer squad for entire year spans (trying out for partial year participation is not allowed).
- Compliance of all rules and regulations set forth by Athletic Department and Spirit Squad coaches.
CHEERLEADING CLINICS
College Stunt & Prep
Fall 2026 - TBD
Winter 2027 - TBD
Spirit Day Kids Clinics
Football 2026 - September 19th - Iowa State vs. Bowling Green
Cyclone Football Spirit Day 2026 - Iowa State University Athletics
Basketball 2026 - TBD
CHEERLEADING TEAM TRYOUT INFORMATION
The Iowa State University Cheerleading tryout is a 3-day process that is held in-person and is closed to the public on the following dates, with potential cuts made throughout the weekend. Elements required for tryouts are standing and running tumbling, stunts, and game day material. Injuries that limit the athlete from fully completing each round of the tryout process is prohibited. Athlete must be fully cleared to participate in the entirety of the process in order to tryout.
2027-2028 Cheerleading Tryouts: TBD
Tryout Registration Link
Tryout Schedule
Day 1: Tumbling & Stunt Group practice (non-scoring day)
Day 2 - Session A: Tumbling (scoring & first round cuts)
Day 2 - Session B: Stunting (scoring & second round cuts)
Day 3: Gameday & Interviews (scoring & final team selection)
Required Tumbling Skills:
- Standing Tuck
- Standing Sequence (2 backhand springs to tuck, layout, or full)
- 2 Running Passes - Pass #1: Round-off BHS to tuck, layout, or full. Pass #2: Specialty that must include punch fronts, whips, or Arabians to layout or full
- Toe Touch to Tuck or Full
- Jump Sequence: 3 jump variation of toe touch, pike, and hurdler)
Required Stunting Skills:
- All flyers must include a body position in the 1 additional stunt sequences (heel stretches do not count in these sequences)
All Girl
- Full up Stretch and Back Handspring Up, pop-off
- 1 additional stunt that highlight your position.
- Examples include - Rewind, Hand-in-Hand (shoulder level, extended level preferred), Back Handspring Full Up, all to awesome or lib. Dismounts should include double down from heel stretch/arabesque, power press front flip/front full/back layout/back half/ or shot gun.
Co-Ed
- Toss Hands and Toss Extension or Lib, pop-off
- 1 additional stunt that highlight your position.
- Examples include - Walk in hands, press lib/extension, toss lib/cupie, backhand spring up/rewinds (single based), double down from heel stretch & arabesque, power press front flip/front full/back layout/back half/ or shot gun dismount.
*Female flyers have the option of trying out for both Co Ed and All Girl; however, the coaches will place them on the squad that they best see fits*
Game Day Skills: *Practice Videos Sent with Received Registration*
- Interview questions
- Iowa State Fight Song, INCLUDING stunt.
- Game Day chants/cheers with poms, signs and megaphones.
*Video tryout submissions are not permitted unless competing at Cheerleading Worlds or Summit and has been verified by the Iowa State Cheerleading Head Coach. If verified, you will receive details on what your video submission should include. Please note, all tumbling skills must be performed on dead mat. Video and application must be submitted to the head coach by (date TBD), no exceptions or extensions*
CHEERLEADING TEAM RECRUITMENT
For more information, click here! *Application opens September 1st!*
DANCE TEAM
The Iowa State Dance Team performs for football, volleyball, and men's basketball and women's basketball. Numbers on each squad vary each year and are at the discretion of the coaches. The Dance Team also competes at NDA College Nationals in Daytona Beach, Florida.
STAFF
Jill Petersen - Head Coach
Kelsie Mackie - Assistant Coach
Danielle Myers - Assistant Coach
Kate Netten - Assistant Coach
Emily DeVries - Assistant Coach
SOCIAL MEDIA
Please follow us on Instagram @cyclonedanceteam and Facebook @Iowa State Dance Team
TEAM BENEFITS & EXPECTATIONS
- Scholarship opportunities up to $1,100
- Letter jacket qualifications
- Paid uniforms and accessories
- Travel opportunities to away games and tournaments - all expenses paid
- Competition team travel - all expenses paid
- Cheering in the Big 12 Conference
- State and Nationally competitive
All Dance Team members are expected to attend the following:
- Attendance at all practices
- Workout program outside of practices
- Attendance at all home football games and basketball games as assigned
- Attendance at break games as assigned
- Attendance at basketball post-season tournament games
- Attendance at assigned or requested appearances
- Participation in all competitive events
Academics:
- Enrollment in a minimum of 12 credit hours at Iowa State University each semester.
- Maintain a 2.0 Cumulative GPA throughout time on squad.
Fundraising:
- Participation in all fundraising efforts and events required of the Spirit Squads.
Other:
- Participation in dance squad for entire year spans (trying out for partial year participation is not allowed).
- Compliance of all rules and regulations set forth by Athletic Department and Spirit Squad coaches.
For further information, please see our FAQ here.
DANCE CLINICS
College Dance & Prep
Fall Clinic 2026 - Sunday, September 27th -Click this link to register:
Iowa State Dance Team Recruitment Clinic - Iowa State University Athletics
Fall Solo Showcase - Sunday, September 27th - Click this link to register:
https://www.cyclonesmarketing.org/product/dance-team-solo-showcase-2026.aspx
Winter 2027 - TBD
Spirit Day Kids Clinics
Football 2026 - September 19th - Iowa State vs. Bowling Green
Cyclone Football Spirit Day 2026 - Iowa State University Athletics
DANCE TEAM RECRUITMENT & TRYOUT INFORMATION
For more information, click here! *Application opens September 1st!*
CY: THE MASCOT
Cy is the official mascot of Iowa State University and fulfills athletics and community events by the members of the Mascot Squad. Cy attends sporting events such as football, men's and women's basketball, volleyball, wrestling, soccer, and softball. In addition to sporting events, Cy is often requested to make various appearances across the state of Iowa for a number of events. Cy also competes each year at the NCA College Mascot Nationals in Daytona Beach, Florida.
STAFF
Katie Sanow - Mascot Coach
SOCIAL MEDIA
Please follow Cy on Instagram @themascotcy and Facebook @Cy The Mascot
THE BEGINNING OF CY
The story of Cy the Cardinal goes back to the early 1950s when an Iowa State mascot was only a glint in the eye of Chev Adams, president of the former Collegiate Manufacturing Company of Ames, and Harry Burrell, Iowa State sports information director. The two struggled to think of a way to make a mascot costume that would remotely resemble a column of wind.
To solve the problem, two contests were held: the first, a student-run challenge to decide once and for all what form the new mascot would take; the other, a nationwide contest to find a fitting name for the character. The consensus among the students led by Pep Council president Chuck Duncan, confirmed that you couldn't stuff a Cyclone, so they settled on a cardinal bird based on the school colors, cardinal & gold and on existing organizations, Cardinal Key and Cardinal Guild.
Collegiate Manufacturing designed the first cardinal costume - after receiving a green light from Alumni Association director W.E. Red Barron and Cyclone Club director Ray Donels at a cost of $200.
Seventeen people submitted the name Cy in the nationwide contest. The first to submit the name was Mrs. E.H. Ohlsen of Ames. Cy the Cardinal (his official name) debuted at the 1954 Homecoming game and has become the enduring symbol of Iowa State athletics.
Virgil Petty ('57 farm op, DVM '64) was chosen out of pity by the athletic club to be the inaugural Cy after just being cut from the varsity basketball team.
THE EVOLUTION OF CY
Over the last half century, Cy has undergone several makeovers and redesigns. The first Cy was approximately 8 feet tall with a bulging chest made mostly from chicken wire and aluminum. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a miniature Baby Cy made appearances at many athletic events. Several years after, the smaller Cy was discontinued and Clone debuted at Hilton Coliseum in January of 1989. The more agile mascot complemented the traditional Cy for several years.
In 1995, Clone was discontinued and a more menacing looking Cy was created. This was much different from the cartoon-like prototype that Petty wore. Cy was again transformed when ISU Athletics changed the school's logo and color combinations. Today's Cy has a wide grin that is friendly, yet a bit mischievous. He is able to move through crowds with ease and loves to pose for pictures with his adoring fans!
MASCOT SQUAD TRYOUTS
Mascot Tryouts - Dates TBD: Registration Link
MASCOT TRYOUT INFORMATION
Tryouts for the Mascot Squad are determined based on the need of adding members. Because the Mascot Squad is a small group of people, tryouts are not held yearly. If you are interested in getting more information about joining the Mascot Squad, please email xx
