Fisk to Cease Operations of the Nation's pioneering HBCU Gymnastics Program by 2026
In the unconventional year of 2023, Fisk University made waves as the pioneering HBCU to sponsor women's gymnastics. Yet, recently, this groundbreaking program received a crushing blow - it's set to close its doors at the end of the 2025-2026 season.
University officials communicated their decision in an email to the student body, attributing the shutdown to scheduling issues and recruitment disadvantages. A troubling twist - gymnastics isn't even a sanctioned sport within the HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC), which adds salt to the wound.
The news struck like a thunderbolt, leaving many athletes, alumni, and fans dumbfounded. The 2025 season, though tumultuous with departures, had been historic for the Bulldogs. Five national titles and seven All-America honors were notched during this time.
Then enters Naimah Muhammad, a recent Fisk graduate, who took to Instagram to share her disappointment. She vigorously disagreed with the university's rationale, asserting, "The reason gymnastics is not an HBCU-sanctioned sport...is (because) there's never been HBCU gymnastics before Fisk."
You heard her right - HBCU gymnastics started at Fisk. When Fisk jumped at the opportunity to make history in 2022, hopes rose that multiple HBCU programs would follow suit. Sadly, the period following the historic announcement has been anything but smooth.
Fisk's departure left a void, which Talladega College attempted to fill in 2024, becoming the second HBCU to sponsor a women's gymnastics team. However, financial issues snuffed out their program soon after.
Wilberforce University stepped up to the plate this past NCAA season as one of two active programs. As the 2026 season draws to a close, Wilberforce may be the sole survivor, with fans anxiously awaiting their strength to outlast their predecessors.
Despite the disheartening news, Muhammad stands steadfast, assuring us that the passion for HBCU gymnastics burns bright. "Y'all don't know how many [direct messages] I get every single day - from parents, alumni, and gymnasts," she said. They all want to know - "How do I get my daughter to go to Fisk Gymnastics?"
It's safe to say that the cyclical fate of HBCU gymnastics programs continues, a dance between challenges and ambition, though it seems many are ready to keep on dancing.
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- Morgan Price, a former Fisk University gymnast, expressed her dismay on social media, believing that the university's decision to discontinue the program was largely due to the sport not being sanctioned within the HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) as it was a pioneer in HBCU gymnastics.
- In the face of the ongoing challenges within HBCU gymnastics, Naimah Muhammad, a recent Fisk graduate, remains optimistic, sharing that she receives numerous direct messages from parents, alumni, and aspiring gymnasts expressing interest in future HBCU gymnastics opportunities, such as Fisk University Gymnastics or Fisk Gymnastics.
