Fisk University Ends Historic Gymnastics Program

The first HBCU gymnastics team will take its final bow in May after just a few years of competition.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 2:24am

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A highly stylized, silkscreen-inspired illustration featuring a repeating pattern of a gymnast's leotard in bold, neon-like colors, capturing the energy and spirit of Fisk University's groundbreaking gymnastics team.The vibrant legacy of Fisk University's pioneering gymnastics program will live on, even as the curtain closes on this historic chapter.Today in Nashville

Fisk University's groundbreaking NCAA gymnastics program, the first of its kind at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), will be discontinued after the 2026-2027 season. Seniors Zyia Coleman and Aliyah Reed-Hammon have been with the program since its inception in 2022 and are saddened by the news, as the team had gained national attention and reached new heights last season. Head coach Nuriya Mack was also devastated by the decision, citing scheduling and recruitment challenges as the main reasons for the program's discontinuation.

Why it matters

Fisk's gymnastics program was a landmark achievement, inspiring Black and Brown gymnasts across the country. Its closure is a major setback for HBCU sports and raises questions about the viability of gymnastics programs at smaller, underfunded institutions.

The details

In 2022, Fisk University became the first HBCU to have an NCAA gymnastics program. During the 2022-2023 season, the Bulldogs garnered national attention, often performing in front of packed arenas. Last season, the team reached new heights, with former Bulldog Morgan Price becoming the first HBCU gymnast to score a perfect 10. However, in June 2026, the program received the news that it would be discontinued after the 2026-2027 season due to scheduling and recruitment challenges.

  • Fisk University started its gymnastics program in 2022.
  • Talladega College started its own HBCU gymnastics program in 2024 but discontinued it after one season.
  • Wilberforce University in Ohio started an HBCU gymnastics program in 2025, and it is now the only one remaining.
  • Fisk University's gymnastics program will be discontinued after the 2026-2027 season.

The players

Zyia Coleman

A senior on the Fisk University gymnastics team who has been with the program since the beginning.

Aliyah Reed-Hammon

A senior on the Fisk University gymnastics team who has been with the program since the beginning.

Nuriya Mack

The head coach of the Fisk University gymnastics team, who took over the position after the previous head coach left in the middle of the 2025 season.

Morgan Price

A former Bulldog gymnast who made history by defending her title and becoming the back-to-back Women's Collegiate Gymnastics National Invitational All-Around Champion, and also scoring the first perfect 10 in HBCU gymnastics history.

Corinne Tarver

The former head coach of the Fisk University gymnastics team, who left the program in the middle of the 2025 season.

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What they’re saying

“I really wanted to go to an HBCU, you know, I really wanted to be around my culture and have the HBCU experience, but I also wanted to do gymnastics at the same time, so I was like, 'I wish there was a gymnastics team at an HBCU.'”

— Zyia Coleman, Senior, Fisk University Gymnastics

“We would always go to the big meets; we always had cameras around. It was just a really good experience, and it really opened my eyes to how many people were paying attention to HBCU gymnastics because everywhere we went, we were filling up the arenas.”

— Aliyah Reed-Hammon, Senior, Fisk University Gymnastics

“I was devastated. It felt like someone took the wind out from under myself. We were in a high; we had the program high score.”

— Nuriya Mack, Head Coach, Fisk University Gymnastics

“I really wanted the Black and Brown gymnasts that looked up to us [to come]. They were always saying, 'I can't wait to come here. I can't wait to be like you guys one day. So it just upsets me because you now they can't go here.”

— Zyia Coleman, Senior, Fisk University Gymnastics

“There really is just Wilberforce left. I hope that they can pick up the torch and keep it going and I hope that bigger HBCUs that would want to start an HBCU gymnastics team, because I do feel like if there are bigger schools doing it, they would have more resources.”

— Aliyah Reed-Hammon, Senior, Fisk University Gymnastics

What’s next

The Fisk University gymnastics team will compete in its final season this year, with the program set to be discontinued in May 2027.

The takeaway

The closure of Fisk's pioneering gymnastics program is a major setback for HBCU sports, highlighting the ongoing challenges smaller institutions face in sustaining niche athletic programs. However, the legacy of the Bulldogs' achievements and the inspiration they provided to young Black and Brown gymnasts will continue to resonate.