Fisk University somersaults into history as first HBCU in NCAA women’s gymnastics meet

Fisk University somersaults into history as first HBCU in NCAA women’s gymnastics meet

Imagine a world where you could make anything Black — even college gymnastics.

The first and only HBCU with a gymnastics team made history over the weekend as they competed at the NCAA level against larger schools with more established programs, including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Southern Utah University and the University of Washington.

The women from Fisk University, an HBCU in Nashville, Tennessee, stepped to the stage at the Super 16 invitational in Las Vegas and didn’t do anything less than turn heads.

“It’s humbling,” Corrinne Tarver, head coach of Fisk told ESPN ahead of the meet. “Something that’s a long time coming and so I’m so proud to be able to bring the team to the floor that is a historically Black college and university. It’s the first time ever so we’re ready to go.”

Fisk’s gymnastics program started spring of 2022 with 16 members, including Morgan Price, the team’s five-star recruit who initially committed to the University of Arkansas but switched to Fisk after their gymnastics program announcement.

“We have a lot of eyes on us because we are the first and because we are making history, so it’s just so exciting to be a part of the first team ever,” Price told ESPN.

Price stood out from her competition in all four events: vault, beam, bars and floor – earning the meet’s highest score on vault with a 9.9 out of 10 with a Yurchenko full.

The HBCU placed fourth with a score of 186.700 with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in third (194.62), the University of Washington in second (195.475) and Southern Utah University in first (195.800).

Fisk will compete again on Jan.13 against the 2021 NCAA champion, the University of Michigan.

Keep up with the gymnastics team from Fisk by following their meet schedule.