Meet the New Members of the Squad? Which Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Rookies Made the 2024 Team

Introducing the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders 2024 rookie class!

When Netflix released America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders in June 2024, millions of viewers tuned in to watch as a passionate group of dancers embarked on a rigorous audition process with hopes of making it on the elite NFL cheerleading team for the 2023 season.

Like the real-life process, the series moves fast — by episode 4, the final cuts were made, which meant the remaining dancers (and viewers) had to say goodbye to some of their favorite faces. 

However, if there’s anything the show makes clear: there’s always next year. In order to make the squad, DCC requires every cheer hopeful — including veterans — to audition each year. While a season 2 of America’s Sweethearts hasn’t been confirmed, some fans have been following the trajectory of the series’ stars after the show, and the NFL cheerleading team’s social media for updates on who made the team for the 2024 season.

Following auditions and training camp, the team revealed their 2024 squad on July 22, sharing a photo of the 36 cheerleaders who made the final cut. In addition to several returning members — including second-year veterans Reece Weaver and Anna Kate Sundvold — two fan favorites from America's Sweethearts who didn't make last year's squad have finally earned their cowboy boots.

Keep reading to meet the 12 Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders rookies joining the team in 2024, from new faces to returning favorites.

Charly Barby, a seasoned dancer from California, was the final woman cut during training camp on America's Sweethearts. Despite the heartbreak, Barby held her composure and reassured DCC director Kelli Fineglass she’d be back next year.

Barby returned for auditions in June 2024, made it to training camp and ultimately secured a spot on the squad as a rookie for the upcoming season.

“This organization means the absolute world to me and to be able to call it home now means more than I’ll ever be able to say,” Barby commented on DCC’s Instagram post revealing the 2024 team. “What a legacy to be a part of. I am SO. EXCITED.”

Kelly Villares’ longtime passion for dance and dreams of being a DCC touched fans when she was featured on the Netflix series. However, her aspirations were cut short when she was released in episode 3, with Fineglass expressing concern that despite her extensive dance experience, she wasn’t quite there when it came to DCC choreography. Her cut from the pending squad came shortly after her makeover, wherein she went through the radical change from blonde to brunette.

During an emotional phone call with her mom following her release from the team, Villares reassured her that her new hair color was staying, because when she tries out again, “I want to be exactly what they want me to be.”

Fans were thrilled to learn that the New Jersey native returned for auditions in 2024, first making training camp before ultimately being named a rookie on the team for the upcoming season.

“My lifelong dream came true today, and this will be a day I will never forget,” Villares commented on the DCC Instagram post. “Thank you to this organization for allowing my dream to come true.”

Among the new faces that made it onto the team is Allison Khong, a Texas native and Texas A&M alum. Khong graduated from Texas A&M in December 2023, and is currently pursuing a Master’s in healthcare administration at Texas Tech University, per her Instagram.

In DCC’s photo carousel showcasing the 2024 squad, Khong is featured hugging Fineglass as she’s given her hard-earned uniform. The dancer posted the picture to her Instagram Stories with the caption, “Someone pinch me.”

From Hammond, La., Darah Haidet is among the 2024 DCC rookies. Haidet graduated from LSU with a degree in broadcast journalism in May 2024. She was an LSU Tiger Girl (the school’s competitive dance team) for four years, and served as the team’s captain her senior year. In January 2024, the Tiger Girls took home their fourth national title, winning the Hip Hop Division at the UCA/UDA National College Championships.

Among the DCC 2024 squad content that Haidet reposted was a reel by fourth-year veteran, Amanda Howard, -

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showcasing her appreciation for the incoming rookies, to which Haidet added to her Instagram Stories and wrote, “I truly feel speechless that I get to be on a team with these people, best day of my life.”

Another LSU Tiger Girl alum, Ariel Brumfield made the squad as a DCC 2024 rookie. The Louisiana native graduated in August 2022 from LSU’s College of Human Sciences & Education.Brumfield was captain of the Tiger Girls her senior year, and the team became D1A Hip Hop National Champions in January 2022.

On DCC’s Instagram post, Brum expressed her excitement and gratitude at making the team. “I am so honored and blessed with the opportunity of a lifetime,” Brum wrote, adding, “A DREAM COME TRUE TIMES A THOUSAND.” 

Julissa Garcia from Odessa, Texas, joins the squad as a Texas Tech University alum, where she was on the school’s official dance team, Pom Squad. Garcia is of Mexican descent and often posts of her proud Hispanic heritage.

The new DCC member shared her excitement about joining the team on the Instagram announcement, calling it a “dream come true” in the comments.

“I am so honored and blessed to be part of this incredible organization with these talented and inspiring women,” Garcia added.

Missouri native Sophia Brown is a former NBA dancer and 2024 DCC rookie. Brown was a rookie on the Denver Nuggets dance team for the 2023-2024 season before heading to Dallas to audition for the DCC.

After making the team, Brown posted a photo of herself in the DCC locker room, writing that the journey of auditioning has been "has truly been a testimony of faith" in her caption.

"From dreaming of this moment since being a child to experiencing it now, is a feeling like no other," she added.

Trinity Miles from Colleyville, Texas, is a 2024 graduate from Texas Christian University, where she was on the school’s dance team, the TCU Showgirls. 

Miles was among the many rookies who were featured on the DCC Instagram during the audition process and throughout training camp — including a makeover reveal that shared her brunette transformation as part of the makeover process.

The TCU alum has also served as a dance teacher at the Eminence Dance Complex in Roanoke, Texas.

Jacksonville, Ill., native Ava Lahey graduated from the University of Kentucky in June 2024, where she was on the school’s dance team.

Lahey expressed her excitement and pride in finally being able to announce she’d made the team alongside a photo of herself holding up the DCC uniform.

“This milestone represents the culmination of my lifelong journey as a dancer, and a dream I’ve chased with every ounce of passion and determination,” the dancer wrote on Instagram, adding that she couldn’t have done it without her support system of family, friends, boyfriend, teachers and coaches.

Rookie Abby Summers is from Toledo, Ohio, and graduated from Ohio State University in 2023, and was on the dance team throughout her time at the school. Her athleticism goes beyond dancing, as Summers completed a half marathon in October 2023.

Reposting the DCC team photo to her Instagram Stories, the rookie wrote, “What a dream!!! I am so blessed with this opportunity and I cannot wait to dance next to these girls.” 

San Diego native Michelle Siemienowski graduated from University of California, Santa Barbara in June 2024. She was also on the UCSB dance team and a member of Alpha Phi.

“So blessed to be able to dance with these incredible women on the field this season,” she wrote on her Instagram Stories after making the DCC team. “Go Cowboys!”

From La Porte, Texas, Madie Krueger was crowned Miss Dance of Texas in 2023, one of the state’s oldest dance/drill competitions. The title was her second win, as she also took home the crown in 2021.

Krueger posted a sentimental caption when reposting DCC’s photo carousel, expressing her gratitude for the opportunity and overwhelming love for her new team members.

“Love each of these girls so much and can’t wait to see what the year holds.”

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