Fisk University women's gymnastics team, the first at an HBCU, to stop competing after 2026
NASHVILLE (AP) — 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 college or university to launch a women's artistic gymnastics team.
Fisk's ambitious move to start the program played a hand three years later in the athletic department choosing to discontinue it. Scheduling became challenging because gymnastics is the only sport at Fisk that does not compete against other HBCU schools, forcing the program to get creative and requiring the team to travel longer distances than the university's other sports.
'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,' athletic director Valencia Jordan said in a statement. 'Fisk is grateful for the hard work, dedication and tenacity of its gymnasts, staff members, and coaches who made this program possible.'
The school said it will work with the affected athletes and coaches to ensure a 'seamless transition.'
The announcement came just weeks after Fisk standout Morgan Price — a three-time All-American who became the first HBCU gymnast to record a perfect 10 — transferred to Arkansas, where she will join her older sister Frankie.
Talladega College, an HBCU in Alabama, attempted to follow in Fisk's footsteps in 2024. That program shut down after one season
due to financial concerns
.
___
AP sports:
https://apnews.com/sports
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
22 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Leroy Sané in Istanbul for Galatasaray talks as Bayern contract expires
ISTANBUL (AP) — Germany winger Leroy Sané is in Turkey for talks with Galatasaray about signing as a free agent when his Bayern Munich contract expires. The Turkish league champion confirmed on social media late Wednesday that Sané had arrived in Istanbul for negotiations. Sané is set to leave Bayern when his contract expires at the end of the month after talks on a possible extension dragged on through the season without a resolution, even as Bayern reached agreements on new contracts with teammates like Jamal Musiala and Joshua Kimmich . That will end a five-year stay with Bayern, which signed Sané in 2020 for a reported fee of just under 50 million euros (then $56.3 million) after a lengthy pursuit of the then-Manchester City player. During his time in Munich, he's won the Bundesliga four times, but has faced criticism in recent seasons for a perceived lack of consistency, especially in European games. Sané scored 13 times in 45 games across all competitions for Bayern this season but only one of those goals came in the Champions League. ___ AP soccer:
Fox Sports
36 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Leroy Sané in Istanbul for Galatasaray talks as Bayern contract expires
Associated Press ISTANBUL (AP) — Germany winger Leroy Sane is in Turkey for talks with Galatasaray about signing as a free agent when his Bayern Munich contract expires. The Turkish league champion confirmed on social media late Wednesday that Sané had arrived in Istanbul for negotiations. Sané is set to leave Bayern when his contract expires at the end of the month after talks on a possible extension dragged on through the season without a resolution, even as Bayern reached agreements on new contracts with teammates like Jamal Musiala and Joshua Kimmich. That will end a five-year stay with Bayern, which signed Sané in 2020 for a reported fee of just under 50 million euros (then $56.3 million) after a lengthy pursuit of the then-Manchester City player. During his time in Munich, he's won the Bundesliga four times, but has faced criticism in recent seasons for a perceived lack of consistency, especially in European games. Sané scored 13 times in 45 games across all competitions for Bayern this season but only one of those goals came in the Champions League. ___ AP soccer: recommended in this topic
San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
LA sports celebrities anticipate World Cup's arrival, hope political climate has cooled by then
LOS ANGELES (AP) — When the 2026 World Cup begins across North America one year from this week, sports figures from across Los Angeles are hoping the global soccer community will find the U.S. both inspiring and welcoming. The Fox network marked the one-year milestone Wednesday night with a big party at its studio lot in Century City. Attendees included everyone from 'Ted Lasso' star Jason Sudeikis to luminaries from every corner of the sports world in the nation's second-largest metropolitan area, including Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss and Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh. 'I remember when the World Cup was here in the '90s, and then obviously what our American women's team did to win the World Cup (in 1999),' Harbaugh said. 'So yeah, I love sports, I love competition, and I think it's going to be incredible for our state, our city, our country. The vibe is going to be incredible to just have everybody here. I'm looking for another explosion of soccer — football — in America.' The attendees all expressed excitement about the return of the world's premier soccer tournament to the U.S. while acknowledging the uncertainty of whether the nation's fraught political climate could present significant challenges to the teams, the World Cup organizers and even the network that will broadcast the tournament domestically. 'I'm hoping this game can bring people together,' said former LA Galaxy midfielder Cobi Jones, a three-time World Cup veteran and the U.S. men's career leader in appearances. 'That's what we really want. We're talking about the travel bans and all that, I'm hoping that FIFA can work together with our government to find a way that everyone can be here, everyone can enjoy this sport, because it's a cultural event that's happening here in a year. I expect everyone from around the world to be able to come here and enjoy it.' Los Angeles is in the midst of several days of protests against intensified immigration raids across the nation that could cause international fans to wonder whether they can travel to the tournament safely. President Donald Trump's latest expansive travel ban has raised questions about whether some soccer fans will be able to visit at all. 'I think it will get figured out,' Harbaugh said. 'To quote the late, great Tom Petty, most things I worry about don't end up happening anyway.' Jones also preached caution for U.S. fans already fretting about the dismal state of their national team. Coach Mauricio Pochettino's squad is on its first four-game losing streak since 2007 after getting thrashed 4-0 by Switzerland on Tuesday in its final tune-up for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. 'We don't panic right now,' Jones said. 'Talk to me when we're a month out. I've seen from experience that with a year out from the World Cup, the team is going to completely change (in the interim). So for me, it's all about a general sense of whether they can come together as a team, because it's not about the individuals. We've seen it so many times.' ___
