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The first HBCU to have a gymnastics program will participate in its last season in 2026.
Fisk University, which began competing in January 2023, will discontinue its program after next season, the school announced last week.
“Considerable challenges … to schedule competitions and build a robust recruiting pipeline,” were the reasons cited for the decision on the school’s website. Fisk competes in the HBCU Athletic Conference, and the sport isn’t sanctioned by the conference, resulting in those challenges.
“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 on the school’s website. “Fisk is grateful for the hard work, dedication and tenacity of its gymnasts, staff members, and coaches who made this program possible.”
The Tennessean has reached out to Jordan for comment.
Fisk University gymnastics had early success
Despite being new on the scene, Fisk’s gymnastics team has experienced some success.
Morgan Price of Lebanon became the first gymnast from an HBCU to win the all-around championship at the USA Gymnastics Women’s Collegiate National Championships in 2024. She repeated the feat in 2025.
“It feels good because of the hard work that has been put in,” Price said in a release after the first title. “Honestly, I didn’t know where I would place, but it was a pleasant surprise. I have heard from a lot of people so far. I am still trying to take all this in.”
Price, Allie Berkley, Aliyah Reed-Hammon, and Ciniah Rosby each earned first-team All-American honors for the 2025 season.
Paul Skrbina is a sports enterprise reporter covering the Predators, Titans, Nashville SC, local colleges and local sports for The Tennessean. Reach him at pskrbina@tennessean.com and on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter) @paulskrbina.
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