Marti Perkins, a law student at Lancer University, discovers that her scholarship has been cancelled and her well-meaning but irresponsible mother, Wanda has neglected to inform her. Broke and out of options, Marti realizes the only way she can stay in school is to win a place on the Hellcats Lancer;s legendary cheer squad and the scholarship that comes with it. Despite a confrontation with the Hellcats peppy team captain, Savannah, Marti wins over coach Vanessa Lodge, makes the squad and is thrust into a competitive world unlike anything she has ever known. With her best friend Dan by her side, Marti navigates her new world as a cheerleader and Savannah's new roommate, while trying to avoid any interaction with squad member Alice Verdura, who is instantly jealous when she realizes that Marti has caught the eye of Alice's ex-boyfriend Lewis Flynn.

Savannah is nervous about her first date with Dan so Marti, Lewis and the rest of the Hellcats team accompany her on their date which ends in disaster. Meanwhile, Marti tries to impress her law professor Julian in the hopes of joining his legal team but he doubts she can balance both her studies and cheerleading. Desperate to get her spot back, Alice turns to pills to kill the pain so she can get medically approved to re-join the team. Vanessa decides to come clean with Derrick about her affair with Red...