Fisk University has announced it is closing its gymnastics program. The program will shut down at the end of the 2025-26 academic year, with the final season of competition being held next spring.
The program, which opened in 2022, was the first of its kind at an HBCU.
“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,” Valencia Jordan, director of Fisk Athletics, said in a press release. “Fisk is grateful for the hard work, dedication and tenacity of its gymnasts, staff members, and coaches who made this program possible.”
What Fisk says about its gymnastics program
Despite the news, the university invited its alumni, students, staff and community members to support the gymnastics team prior to May 2026.
Fisk is the second HBCU to announce it is closing its gymnastics program this year. In July 2024, Talladega College said it would stop offering the program after opening for a year due to not having the necessary financial resources to keep the program running.
Why is Fisk University closing its gymnastics program?
The HBCU is shutting down its gymnastics program due to financial reasons, according to Sports Illustrated. It had been facing challenges regarding the program’s resources for training and traveling to events.
It also faced issues regarding scheduling competitions and building a recruiting pipeline, Fisk said in a press release. This is due to gymnastics not being a sport sanctioned by the HBCU Athletic Conference, which Fisk athletics competes in.
The program recently lost two key figures. Coach Corrine Tarver announced her departure from Fisk in February. Former meet director and social media manager Nuriya Mack was named interim coach for the remainder of the season, according to Main Street Media.
Morgan Price, a two-time All-Around USGA National Champion, also left the school. Last month, she transferred from Fisk to the University of Arkansas.
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