Fisk’s Gymnastics Program Closure: What It Means for HBCUs

Fisk University didn’t just launch the first HBCU women’s collegiate gymnastics team; they ignited a movement. But after just three seasons, that movement is coming to a halt, leaving the Black gymnastics community grappling with what this closure signifies. The announcement in June 2025 stated the program would end after the 2026 season, marking a significant loss.

The Official Reasons: Scheduling and Recruiting

The official word from Fisk cites scheduling and recruiting challenges as the primary reasons for ending the program. Head coach Corrinne Tarver has already moved on to Southern Connecticut State University, and star gymnast Morgan Price is transferring to Arkansas. This program, which packed arenas, garnered national media attention on shows like ‘Good Morning America’ and ‘The Jennifer Hudson Show,’ and inspired countless young Black girls, is no more.

The scheduling issue is particularly complex. Collegiate women’s gymnastics operates within a closed system, with schedules finalized years in advance. As an independent program without conference affiliation, Fisk faced an uphill battle each season just to secure competition slots. Every meet required individual negotiation, and road trips demanded extensive planning, without the established infrastructure that conference teams enjoy.

The Unspoken Challenge: Funding Disparities

What Fisk might not explicitly state in a press release is the stark reality of funding disparities between HBCUs and predominantly white institutions (PWIs). A 2023 study highlighted that HBCU athletic departments receive significantly less institutional support compared to their PWI counterparts. Gymnastics is an incredibly expensive sport to operate, requiring specialized equipment, coaching, medical staff, facilities, and substantial travel budgets.

Fisk attempted to sustain a program that many NCAA Division I athletic departments wouldn’t even consider without a dedicated endowment. The fact that the program lasted three years, broke records, and produced the first HBCU gymnast to ever score a perfect 10 is a testament to their dedication, not a failure. The true failure lies in a system built on historical resource disparity that couldn’t accommodate its continuation.

The Pattern and the Path Forward

This isn’t an isolated incident. Talladega College also launched and subsequently shut down an HBCU gymnastics program after just one year. While Wilberforce University continues to operate its program, the pattern is clear: starting an HBCU gymnastics program is achievable, but sustaining one is a monumental challenge.

The athletes involved have expressed their grief and uncertainty about the future. Organizations like the HBCU Gymnastics Alliance are mobilizing, with a petition urging institutions, donors, and the NCAA to invest in these programs. Brown Girls Do Gymnastics, which advocated for Fisk’s program to launch, is pushing for another HBCU to step up. The crucial question now is whether institutions that claim to support Black women in sports will provide the necessary financial backing for the next program to thrive long-term.