Meet the 2026 DCC rookies who officially earned their stars on July 16 — eight new faces joining the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ 28 returning veterans for the upcoming season. This year’s rookie class stands out for more than just talent; it’s packed with genuinely compelling backstories, from a national championship-winning team captain to three cheerleaders who made the squad after previously being cut.
Amiyah Naulls
Naulls arrives with serious dance credentials. A Cal State Fullerton alum, she helped lead her school’s Division I pom team to its first-ever UDA National Championship as team captain in 2025. That leadership experience is exactly the kind of background DCC’s coaching staff tends to prioritize — the squad isn’t just looking for technical skill, but dancers who’ve already proven they can perform under pressure and carry a team.
Haley Bogdon
Bogdon, a University of Arkansas alum, won’t have to travel far to start her new chapter — she’s from Frisco, Texas, just north of Dallas, home turf for the Cowboys organization itself. Local roots aren’t a requirement for DCC, but they do add a nice narrative thread for a rookie class about to become the public face of one of the most recognized brands in sports.
Lexi Smith
Smith spent four years on the University of Central Florida spirit team before wrapping up her college career in May and earning her DCC spot just two months later. On social media, she described feeling overwhelming gratitude throughout the audition process, calling it an experience that helped her grow “not only as a dancer but also as a person.”
Aubrey Rogers
Rogers actually auditioned back in 2025 before finally earning her spot in 2026 — a former University of Texas cheer and pom dancer who studied public relations during her time in Austin. Her path is a good reminder that DCC’s audition process often rewards persistence as much as raw talent on the first attempt.
The Comeback Stories: Awbrey, Lindenau, and Dastrup
The most compelling thread in this year’s rookie class, though, belongs to three dancers who didn’t make it the first time around. Emily Awbrey, Brianne Lindenau, and Savannah Dastrup were all cut during a previous audition cycle before finally earning their stars in 2026.
Awbrey’s story got particular attention because of what DCC director Kelli Finglass told her directly during her earlier, unsuccessful audition on Netflix’s America’s Sweethearts: “I’d be disappointed if you didn’t come back.” She did come back — and made it. Awbrey later admitted the news left her “genuinely speechless.”
That kind of persistence resonates with fans in a way a clean, first-try roster rarely does. It’s also a big part of why the show generating a 55% jump in tryout applications this year makes sense — audiences have watched multiple seasons of dancers getting cut and coming back, and now they’re watching some of those exact storylines pay off in real time.
What This Rookie Class Signals for DCC
Eight rookies making a 36-person squad against a record applicant pool says something about how competitive DCC tryouts have become. Every one of this year’s newcomers, whether a first-time national champion or a three-time auditioner, represents a genuinely difficult path onto one of the most visible cheer programs in the country. As training camp gets underway and the 2026 NFL season approaches, this rookie class will be performing in front of national audiences almost immediately — a fast transition from tryout stress to the AT&T Stadium sideline.
