College Sports

Fisk University to discontinue gymnastics program

Morgan Price, formerly of Fisk and now transferred to Arkansas, celebrates as part of the Bulldogs in 2023. Fisk announced Friday it would discontinue its gymnastics program after the 2026 season. SUBMITTED Fisk University’s groundbreaking gymnastics team will be no more after next season, the school announced on Friday.  According to a release, the Bulldogs […]

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Morgan Price, formerly of Fisk and now transferred to Arkansas, celebrates as part of the Bulldogs in 2023. Fisk announced Friday it would discontinue its gymnastics program after the 2026 season. SUBMITTED

Fisk University’s groundbreaking gymnastics team will be no more after next season, the school announced on Friday. 

According to a release, the Bulldogs plan to discontinue the nation’s first historically Black college or university gymnastics program at the end of the spring 2026 season. 

The decision came after “a comprehensive review of the gymnastics program and its alignment with the HBCU Athletic Conference.” Fisk faced considerable challenges, per the release, in scheduling and recruitment because gymnastics is not sanctioned by the conference.

“While we are tremendously proud of the history our gymnastics team has made in just three years, we look forward to focusing on our conference-affiliated teams to strengthen our impact in the HBCU Athletic Conference,” Fisk Director of Athletics Valencia Jordan said in the release.

“Fisk is grateful for the hard work, dedication and tenacity of its gymnasts, staff members, and coaches who made this program possible.”

Fisk previously promoted donations for the gymnastics team through its university website. Funds supported scholarships, training, nutrition, travel assistance and equipment upgrades among other expenses, according to the site.

Already departed from the program are its inaugural head coach Corrinne Tarver and six-time national champion Morgan Price. 

Tarver announced her exit from Fisk in February. Price transferred to Arkansas last month. 

The school said after Tarver’s departure that a national search would commence for a new head coach. Former meet director and social media manager Nuriya Mack was named interim coach for the rest of the spring season.

Together they founded the first HBCU to compete in NCAA gymnastics. 

Long before becoming Fisk’s coach in March 2022, Tarver was the first Black woman to win an NCAA all-around gymnastics championship. 

She was promoted to the role of athletic director for the Bulldogs in July 2022 but was replaced by Jordan in 2023.

Price, a Lebanon native and multi-time All-American, was the first HBCU gymnast to record a perfect score with her uneven bar performance this season at Temple University. In April she won five individual titles for Fisk at the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics National Invitation Championship.

“Morgan Price has served as a phenomenal ambassador for Fisk University and embodied the incredible ways our institution continues its history-making legacy,” Fisk President Agenia Clark said in a statement following Price’s transfer. “I am extremely proud of all she has accomplished and the light she’s been able to shine on Fisk.”

Fisk’s final gymnastics season will run through April of next year.



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