Monica Aldama, Gabi Butler and More ’Cheer’ Stars: Where Are They Now?

Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

Monica Aldama, Gabi Butler and More ’Cheer’ Stars: Where Are They Now?

It didn’t take long for Netflix viewers to start rooting for the Navarro College Bulldogs Cheer Team when Cheer debuted in 2020. Us Weekly is giving updates on Morgan Simianer, La’Darius Marshall, Gabi Butler and more of your favorite cheerleaders. Netflix followed head coach Monica Aldama and her squad for six episodes in season 1, which started streaming in January 2020, as they trained for the NCA & NDA Collegiate Cheer & Dance Championship in 2019. While it appeared several students were done with their time at the Texas community college at the end of season 1, Monica explained to Us at the time that Navarro doesn’t “follow your typical NCAA rules like the other sport.” She explained: “But for NCA, which is the company that we compete with for competition, you have five years of eligibility and three of those can be at a junior college.” Monica added that they can continue their cheerleading careers for several more years outside of the NCA. “A lot of them will go on to universities that are still competitive because not all schools compete. So I have a lot that go to Texas Tech University, the University of Louisville, Oklahoma State, Sam Houston, University of Kentucky,” she said. “Most of them definitely continue on at a university that does competitive cheer.” [jwplayer WptrWDg2-zhNYySv2] Netflix quietly picked up the cameras to follow Monica and her team in 2020, but production halted amid the coronavirus pandemic. In March 2020, news broke that Variety Spirit canceled Daytona, which occurs every April, due to COVID-19 concerns. As a result, there will be a time jump in season 2, which was officially announced by Netflix in January 2022. “It’s nine episodes, so I do know it’s longer,” Monica told Us at the time. “It covers, I think, the first part up to where we get our season canceled and then picks back up with now — we’re coming back in a COVID year, which was so hard with all the COVID rules and stuff.” Season 2 of Cheer, which includes Monica, Gabi, Morgan, La’Darius, Lexi Brumback and Shannon Woolsey, will include the 2021 NCA & NDA Collegiate Cheer & Dance Championship and members of Navarro’s rival school, Trinity Valley Community College. Scroll through for an update on the cast: [podcast_block]

Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

Morgan Simianer

Morgan returned to Navarro for the 2019-2020 season but quit cheer after the competitions were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic that spring. Fans saw her on season 2.

The social media influencer has a boyfriend named Stone Burleson. In March 2022, the couple announced their engagement.

"He stole my heart, so I’m stealing his last name. I can’t wait to marry my best friend. I love you unconditionally, Stone. 💍❤️🌹," the Netflix personality wrote via Instagram.

Credit: Courtesy of La’Darius Marshall/Instagram

La’Darius Marshall

La’Darius returned to Navarro for the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 seasons and will be featured on season 2. He told Dallas Morning News in January 2021 that he has acting aspirations.

“I want to act so bad, and I feel like it’s time for me to do that,” he said. “I’m going to be a film star. It’s just in my blood.”

He also helps coach and train cheerleaders at Cheer Athletics Pensacola in Florida.

Credit: Courtesy of Gabi Butler/Instagram

Gabi Butler

Gabi returned for the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 seasons at Navarro before becoming a student and cheerleader at Weber State University in Utah. She will be featured in season 2.

“Because of COVID, they gave everyone one more year of eligibility and I watched Weber and they were just an amazing team and this year they came out with insane skills,” Gabi told HollywoodLife in July 2021. “So I really was intrigued and I wanted to learn more.”

She is also a social media influencer with more than 1.8 million followers.

Credit: Courtesy of Lexi Brumback/Instagram

Lexi Brumback

While Lexi was kicked off the team amid legal trouble during the 2019 season, which fans watched play out on season 1, Monica told Us in January 2020 that Lexi had returned.

“Her coach reached out to me and her mom and her grandmother, everyone wanted her back at Navarro, of course,” Monica told Us at the time. “I even said at the end of the series that I felt like that I still needed some time with her because she was doing so well. She did get into a bit of a trouble and that was all dropped. She did have to sit out in the fall semester and I felt like she had enough time to reflect on it and learn from it. She’s doing great and she’s really happy to be back here, and I can’t wait to see where she goes from here.”

Lexi, who will be featured on season 2, returned for the 2020-2021 season too. The social media star has a YouTube channel and makeup Instagram account.

Credit: Courtesy of Mackenzie Sherburn/Instagram

Mackenzie ‘Sherbs’ Sherburn

Sherbs took her cheerleading skills to Texas Tech University but graduated in August 2021. She often shares fitness tips via Instagram.

Credit: Courtesy of Austin Bayles/Instagram

Austin Bayles

Austin graduated from Navarro in May 2019 and went on to become a student and cheerleader at Texas Tech.

Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

Monica Aldama

Still the head coach of Navarro, Monica competed on season 29 of Dancing With the Stars with Val Chmerkovskiy in 2020. Her memoir, Full Out! Leadership Lessons from America's Favorite Coach, was released in January 2022.

Credit: Courtesy of Jerry Harris/Instagram

Jerry Harris

After becoming a fan favorite during season 1 of Cheer, Jerry was arrested by the FBI in 2020 on child pornography charges. That December, he pleaded not guilty to seven felony charges — four counts of sexual exploitation of children, one count of enticement, one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of travel with the intent to engage in an illicit sexual contact with a minor.

The scandal will be discussed on season 2 of Cheer, with Monica revealing in the trailer that Jerry sent her a letter.

“His letter was so optimistic. Like there was not one negative thing in this letter. He said that he hopes to one day be a motivational speaker,” she said. “I want to be supportive. Yet I’m so disappointed … I have all these emotions that are just fighting each other.”

After changing his plea to guilty in regard to two of the seven counts he was indicted on, Harris was sentenced to 12 years in jail following a July 2022 hearing.

Credit: Courtesy of Shannon Woolsey/Instagram

Shannon Woolsey

Shannon returned for the 2019-2020 season and will be featured in season 2. She is a senior and cheerleader at Texas University. Shannon has a personal trainer boyfriend named Ben Christian.