Newsday's top 50 cheerleaders for the 2025-26 season

Newsday's annual list, in alphabetical order, of the top Long Island high school cheerleaders as the 2025-26 season rolls along.

Willow Anderson, Harborfields, Main Base, Soph.

Anderson has shown remarkable growth in both skill development and leadership. She is fully committed to her team, consistently pushing herself to stunt at higher levels while working toward elite skills. She approaches challenges with resilience and determination.

Kacey Berger, Sachem East, Flyer, Jr.

She flies in all of Sachem East’s elite stunts and pyramids and can master any skill in the air. She performs a standing toe touch full and round off full through to a double backhand spring to another full and a standing cartwheel full.

Samantha Borgia, Plainedge, Main Base, Sr.

An incredible three-year varsity athlete and senior captain. She is a leader on and off the mat who performs both elite partner/pyramid skills and tumbling skills.

Amani Bradley-Coleman, West Babylon, Flyer, Jr.

As a flyer, she shows sharp technique, strong body control, and confident execution in super-elite skills like hand-to-hand, high-to-high full around, and high-to-high tick-tock.

Liana Brugge, Mepham, Flyer, Soph.

In her third season, she’s become an elite tumbler with powerful running and standing tumbling, consistently performing fulls, standing tucks, and layout passes with confidence and precision. She played a key role in helping secure Mepham’s first Nassau crown.

Alexander Cerna, Whitman, Coed Base, Sr.

He is a dynamic force on the mat, bringing elite-level energy and performance every time. Transitioning from varsity football, he’s a two-time UCA Regional Champion. He showcases super-elite coed skills, including a high-to-high tick-tock to single arm, and coed round-off up.

Callia Chung, East Meadow, Flyer, Sr.

She is a standout leader who has shown impressive growth as a flyer, quickly learning and confidently executing new skills. Her positive energy, leadership, and constant encouragement elevate her teammates.

Giavanna Coby, Division, Side Base, Jr.

She is a first-year side base who quickly proved herself coachable, dependable, and skilled beyond her experience. She is already executing super-elite stunts including back-handspring full-ups, hand-to-hands to the top, and high-to-high full arounds, supported by tumbling such as handspring fulls and cartwheel fulls. Gia’s rapid progression and positive attitude make her an essential and high-impact addition to the team.

Krista Cummo, Hauppauge, Main Base/Side Base, Jr.

She continues to demonstrate exceptional work ethic as a side base/main base – teaching proper technique, offering corrections, and helping her teammates improve. She has mastered some of the most advanced stunts in high school cheer.

Samantha Denis, Connetquot, Flyer/Side Base, Jr.

The Newsday All-Long Island second team selection helped her team make finals in both the Traditional and Game Day Division at Nationals. She performs super elite stunts as well as tumbling. She was a super elite flyer but learned super elite skills at side base to improve the team.

Emily Edwards, Westhampton, Side Base/Back Spot, Sr.

She shines as a passionate and powerful crowd leader and brings exceptional versatility, strength, and leadership to our team.

Stefani Felber, Smithtown East, Flyer, Sr.

The four-year member of the varsity can perform super elite coed stunts as well as super elite girl stunts.

Kaitlyn Fioretti, Shoreham-Wading River, Flyer, Sr.

She’s performed for the Wildcats for five years and continues to excel. Her steady control, reliable technique, and ability to execute difficult stunts make her a major asset to the team.

Jillian Fogarty, Mattituck, Back Spot, Base, Flyer, Sr.

She’s a versatile cheerleader who has excelled as a back spot, base, and flyer. She is willingly to step into any position needed. She has competed as a flyer in both the pyramid and cheer sections of routines.

Reese Gillen, Farmingdale, Main Base, Jr.

She’s known for her exceptional talent, consistency, and strength in both stunting and tumbling. Throughout her career, she has consistently elevated her skills, proving herself a reliable and dynamic athlete.

Carley Granoff, Syosset, Back Spot, Sr.

The captain has been on varsity for three years and is an elite back spot. She can join any stunt group and achieve elite skills wherever she is placed. Her leadership on and off the mat sets the standard.

Mya Grayson, Freeport, Main Base, Sr.

She performs all super elite skills and tumbling at the highest level, and is an undeniable presence on the mat, making her the total package.

Madison Grego, Mount Sinai, Main Base, Sr.

She was a key cog in the Mustangs run to Suffolk and state titles in 2024. She is also a three-time scholar athlete, earning Suffolk Academic All-County and Gameday Academic All-County honors in 2025. She’s an all-around athlete, competing with super elite tumbling and stunting skills that elevate every routine.

Magdelena (Maggie) Hart, Longwood, Back Spot, Sr.

The senior captain is four-year varsity veteran with elite tumbling skills, including a running roundoff back handspring full, standing tuck, standing backhand-backhand layout.

Belinay Inan, New Hyde Park, Flyer, Sr.

She’s a leader in her third year of varsity and second as a captain. She has been a consistent leader, guiding the Gladiators to break school records including our program's first Nassau title, and UCA Empire State Regional crown. She effortlessly executes standing tucks, handspring tucks, roundoff handspring whip handspring layouts, and cartwheel tucks.

Morgan Jackson, Baldwin, Side Base/Flyer, Sr.

Her passion for cheerleading drives her to master new skills and inspire her teammates. She provides positive feedback to uplift the team, and her vibrant energy is contagious during games and competitions.

Kali Kaufman, Commack, Flyer, Sr.

The fourth-year senior and two-year captain is an elite tumbler and flyer. She has been in a stunt group every year of her athletic career and performs elite inversion, release, and spinning skills. She is also a flyer in pyramids as well as a bracer.

Kennedy Kearns, Mount Sinai, Back Spot, Sr.

A powerful and reliable back spot led the Mustangs to the 2024 Suffolk and state titles. Kennedy competes some of the highest-level stunting skills on Long Island, consistently anchoring the most difficult skills with strength and confidence.

Jasmin Lawrence, Farmingdale, Back Spot, Sr.

She’s a standout four-year varsity cheerleader who has exceptional strength in both stunting and tumbling. She has unwavering dedication, quiet confidence, and natural leadership to everything she does.

Ian Licavoli, Ward Melville, Coed Stunter, Sr.

He’s won three state championships, two for Competitive Cheerleading and one Game Day crown, and has endless energy on and off the mat. He is a five-time Suffolk champion. The two-time All-Suffolk selection, will be competing super elite Coed skills, including a back handspring up and shotgun (back flip).

Lily Maldonado, West Babylon, Main Base, Soph.

As a main base, she brings strength, stability, and precision, along with super elite skills like a hand-to-hand, high-to-high full around, full up switch up, a roundoff BHS full, and a standing tuck.

Lizzie Marino, Floyd, Flyer, Sr.

The University of Oregon commit is an elite flyer and an incredible tumbler. She can do elite skills such as a standing full, cartwheel full, and Arabian through to full.

Ava Micari, Riverhead, Flyer, Sr.

A four-year varsity cheerleader and captain who has competed in both traditional and game day routines at the county and national levels while cheering for football and basketball. A standout flyer, Ava shines in the air, pushing herself to reach the highest level of performance.

Abigail Monahan, Comsewogue, Back Spot/Side Base, Sr.

She is an amazing athlete with beautiful tumbling skills, including a round off back handspring tuck. The team captain consistently leads by example, always pushing her teammates to be better and to believe in themselves.

Alexandra Monopoli, Seaford, Main Base, Sr.

Transitioning from a side base to a main base, she has demonstrated tremendous growth and consistently rises to meet the team’s needs. She has also pushed herself to master new tumbling skills.

Sophia Musraca, Rocky Point, Side Base, Sr.

She is a strong and dependable side base who can perform college-level stunts such as back extension roll full-ups, front pops, lib-to-libs, double dragons, and she is also a powerful tumbler with a standing tuck.

Cara Nuzzi, Smithtown West, Flyer, Sr.

The two-year captain is in her fifth year of varsity cheer. She is a flyer as well as an elite main base in the program. She has grown into a leader and role model.

Caileigh O’Shea, MacArthur, Back Spot, Sr.

A pure motivator in her fourth year of varsity cheer. The captain has maintained a great balance between school and a demanding sports schedule. She is a powerful tumbler with a standing tuck and a roundoff back handspring tuck. She back spots all elite stunts and pyramids that include front pops, shotguns and double dragons. Her reliability, strength and make her an invaluable part of every stunt.

Tatianna Ottaviano, Sachem East, Side Base, Soph.

She is an elite side base and has mastered all of Sachem East’s elite stunts and pyramids, all while still performing extremely hard tumbling skills.

Sophia Park, Massapequa, Main Base, Sr.

A standout in every routine due to her showmanship, perfect motion technique, and amazing jumps. She earned All Nassau Honors in the fall after leading her team as Game Day Captain. She maintains a 101 GPA. She is a strong main base who can execute elite skills. She will be attending Tulane this fall.

Kayden Petkovits, Clarke, Main Base, Sr.

The senior captain plays a key role in the team’s strength and success. She is a stunning hurdler and as a main base can perform super-elite skills, including back handspring up inversions, high-to-high ticks, full arounds, and 360 switch-ups.

Milania Rivera, Valley Stream North, Side Base/Back Spot, Sr.

The senior captain shines on the mat in many roles, contributing as a back spot, flyer, and side base. A four-year athlete, she continues to impress with her eye-catching tumbling skills.

Liliana Romano, Sachem North, Flyer, Jr.

The Newsday All-Long Island Second Team selection is an elite tumbler competing a running full and standing tuck this year. She also performs high-level stunts.

Hope SanFilippo, Sachem North, Side Base, Sr.

She competes high-level tumbling, including a running full and a standing tuck. She is also one of the most elite side bases performing a reverse hand in hand, high to highs, double dragons, and front handspring ups.

Mia Santucci, Wantagh, Flyer, Sr.

She is an outstanding flyer and is one of the top tumblers on our routine, and she is looking to complete her full-twisting layout this season.

Alexis Sewer, Freeport, Side Base, Sr.

The Newsday All-Long Island Second team selection executes all super elite stunts and tumbling and has infectious energy on the mat.

Isabella Sharp, Sachem East, Main Base, Sr.

She had the main base position for every elite stunt and pyramid for the last four years. She has been executed a roundoff, backhand spring full, with several standing tucks for many years.

Brianna Sidoti, Seaford, Flyer, Sr.

She executes the most elite tumbling skills, including a standing full and a whip to full. She excels as a flyer, performing super-elite stunts with remarkable ease and precision.

Sage Stephens, Amityville, Main Base, Sr.

The two-year captain anchors the team as a main base while contributing as a consistent tumbler. Her leadership and experience are instrumental in maintaining stability and confidence throughout the stunt groups.

Mia Stimac, Division, Main Base, Sr.

The Newsday All-Long Island first team selection performs super-elite skills, including two-man double dragons, two-man hand-to-hands, high-to-high full arounds, and back-handspring full-ups, along with standing tucks and handspring layouts.

Adrianna Tavolaro, Rocky Point, Flyer, Sr.

She is a strong, reliable flyer, and her tumbling skills include a roundoff back handspring full, a standing double back-handspring full, and cartwheel fulls.

Payton Taylor, Massapequa, Flyer, Soph.

She has elite-level flying skills as well as tumbling skills, and her showmanship is captivating.

Ryan Walker, Sayville, Base, Sr.

He has super elite tumbling skills (standing full, hand full and round off whip full full) and has challenged himself to learn both all-girl and coed stunting techniques, helping our team compete both super elite inversions, spinning and release skills.

Scarlett Ward, Rocky Point, Main Base, Sr.

She can perform high-level collegiate stunting skills such as back extension roll-ups, one-man skills, front pops, and no-handed back handspring ups.

Kara Yaccarino, Patchogue-Medford, Base, Sr.

The four-year varsity member and two-year captain, brings elite-level tumbling and stunting skills to the mat, making her a standout all-around athlete. As an All-Class athlete for Game Day, she leads with poise and passion, setting the standard for performance and teamwork.