Fisk University Ends Historic Gymnastics Program Amid Controversy and Disappointment
Fisk University just announced it will end its women’s artistic gymnastics program after the 2026 season. This comes only three years after the school made history as the first HBCU to field a gymnastics team.
The move follows similar cuts at Talladega College. Students, alumni, and coaches are now questioning whether the university really cares about diversity and representation in college athletics.
The news, first reported by Andscape, triggered strong reactions. People who built the program from scratch saw it as a symbol of progress for Black athletes in a sport that’s long been dominated by mostly white schools.
The End of a Groundbreaking Program
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Fisk’s gymnastics program started competing in 2023. It was a huge moment for HBCU athletics.
The team’s creation got national attention for breaking barriers and giving young Black women a shot in a sport where they’ve rarely had one. But now, just two years later, Fisk says the program will close after 2026 because of scheduling headaches and trouble building a recruiting pipeline in the HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC).
Fisk’s administration blamed logistical and financial challenges. But people close to the program say the real problem is a lack of support from the university, not just unavoidable obstacles.
Former head coach Corrinne Tarver led the team through its first seasons before stepping down in February. She pushed back hard against the university’s explanation.
Tarver said interest from recruits was high and the program quickly drew national buzz for its talent and impact. She didn’t buy the official reasoning.
Shock and Disappointment Among Alumni
For the gymnasts who helped launch the team, the news hit hard. Alumni Naimah Muhammad and Kiara Richmon transferred to Fisk in 2022 to join the first roster and felt blindsided by the announcement.
They said the university’s communication was abrupt and limited, leaving everyone scrambling to process what was happening before the news went public. Their frustration wasn’t just about losing the program—it was also about feeling disrespected by the way the decision was handled.
Muhammad said the move went against earlier promises from athletic leadership that the program was secure and important to Fisk’s identity. The administration had always talked up its commitment to gymnastics, so this felt like a betrayal.
For Muhammad and Richmon, the team was more than just a sport. It was a community where they could be themselves as Black gymnasts and finally feel like they belonged in a space that rarely reflected their experiences.
The Legacy of Representation in Gymnastics
When Fisk launched its gymnastics team, it marked a real milestone for equity in college sports. Suddenly, Black gymnasts could compete at a historically Black institution—something that used to seem almost impossible.
In its debut season, the team grabbed national headlines. Standout athlete Morgan Price became the first HBCU gymnast to win a national all-around title at the USA Gymnastics Women’s Collegiate National Championships in 2024. That moment was huge.
For a lot of people, Fisk’s gymnastics program stood for progress and pride—not just in sports, but in culture and representation. Richmon remembered how powerful it felt to train with women who actually shared her background, after years at mostly white schools.
Muhammad felt the same way. She said competing for Fisk helped her see herself as “an excellent Black woman first, and an athlete second.”
Coach Tarver’s Perspective
As the first head coach, Tarver brought both experience and a sense of history. She was the first Black gymnast to compete for the University of Georgia, one of the sport’s powerhouses, so her presence at Fisk really meant something.
Tarver recalled the team’s early years as full of promise. She talked about competing at Georgia—her old stomping grounds—and watching Price score a perfect 10 on beam. Those moments felt special.
Even then, Tarver noticed signs the university’s support was slipping. Promised investments like a dedicated practice facility vanished, and her ideas for making the program more self-sufficient were shot down.
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She thinks the decision to end the team reflects bigger financial and structural problems that small private HBCUs face, especially as college sports economics keep changing.
The Broader Impact on HBCU Athletics
Fisk’s decision comes less than a year after Talladega College shut down its own gymnastics program after just one season. Once Fisk’s team is gone, Wilberforce University will be the only HBCU left with an active women’s gymnastics team.
This rapid loss of programs has people worried about whether gymnastics at HBCUs can survive. What message does that send to young athletes of color who dream of competing?
Muhammad said these cuts make it look like “HBCUs aren’t capable of maintaining such programs,” which really undermines all the progress that’s been made. Richmon hopes Fisk might reconsider and realize how important the program is—not just to the school, but to the culture as a whole.
Financial and Structural Challenges
Tarver pointed to big financial pressures as a main factor behind decisions like Fisk’s. With things like NIL (name, image, likeness) deals and the rising costs of keeping programs competitive, smaller schools are feeling the squeeze.
HBCUs often rely heavily on tuition and federal aid, and as funding sources like Pell Grants shrink, they’re especially vulnerable. Without state funding or big athletic budgets, it’s tough to keep resource-heavy sports like gymnastics going.
Tarver worries these challenges could scare other HBCUs away from starting new programs. If donors and leaders keep seeing successful teams get cut, why would they take the risk?
What the Future Holds
As Fisk’s last seasons approach, the gymnasts have some tough choices to make. Eight underclassmen on the roster will need to find new programs if they want to keep competing after next season.
Some, like Morgan Price, have already transferred—she’s headed to the University of Arkansas as of May 2024. Others may struggle to find schools that fit both their academic and athletic needs.
For the athletes, coaches, and supporters who poured their hearts into Fisk’s gymnastics program, the next two years are going to be bittersweet. They’ll keep competing and representing their school with pride, even as the end draws near.
A Call for Renewal
Even after the letdown, a lot of folks in the gymnastics world still hope Fisk—or maybe another HBCU—will step up and bring back more gymnastics opportunities for Black athletes.
The visibility and achievements of Fisk’s team have already made a real impact. It’s proof that representation matters, and there’s so much talent and passion in the Black gymnastics community just waiting for a chance to shine.
As college sports keep shifting, Fisk University’s gymnastics program stands out as both a warning and a spark for change. There’s a clear need for steady investment in programs that focus on diversity.
It’s also vital to protect spaces where athletes of color can compete, lead, and inspire others. No matter what happens with Fisk’s decision, the legacy of these groundbreaking gymnasts isn’t going anywhere.