Country's first HBCU gymnastics program, where a North Texas gymnast made history, to be discontinued

Fisk University To End Historic HBCU Gymnastics Program In 2026

By Oumou Fofana ·Updated June 11, 2025 Fisk University, the first historically Black college or university (HBCU) to launch a collegiate gymnastics team, has announced it will discontinue the program after the 2025-2026 academic year.The Nashville-based university shared the news in a press release on June 6, stating the decision follows a review of how the sport aligns with Fisk’s broader athletic goals. Since gymnastics is not sanctioned by th…

Fisk University women's gymnastics team, the first at an HBCU, to stop competing after 2026

Fisk University’s bold experiment in women’s gymnastics is coming to an end. The school has announced it is shuttering the program at the end of the 2026 season. Fisk made history in 2023 when it became the first historically Black…

Country's first HBCU gymnastics program, where a North Texas gymnast made history, to be discontinued

Fisk University announced plans to end its gymnastics program in 2026 due to conference challenges.

Fisk University's gymnastics team to disband in 2026 - Nashville Banner

Being the first is one thing. Being the only one is something else, something even more challenging. Fisk University came to understand that difference in the three years since it launched its women’s gymnastics program, the first at an HBCU. During that time, the GymDogs, as the team was known, produced a bona fide star, gained a measure of pop culture notoriety and added to the school’s trophy case. Administrators, however, also wrestled with …

'Disheartened' HBCU gymnast expresses disappointment in Fisk ending program

Naimah Muhammad is proud of her place in history as a part of the Fisk gymnastics team, the first in HBCU sports. However, she’s not pleased with the way the program is ending after just four seasons. “I’m disheartened, I’m discouraged, I’m angry and I’m mad,” Muhammad said during a recent Instagram live video. Muhammad read from the Fisk University press release that building a recruiting pipeline would be difficult due to the university’s asso…