The growth of HBCU athletic programs continued on Friday when Fisk University announced it was launching “the first HBCU Intercollegiate Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Team.”
In partnership with Brown Girls Do Gymnastics, the NAIA DI institution is launching the new program in the 2022-23 school year and has already started securing scholarship funding for the program’s future student-athletes.
“Woman’s gymnastics exemplifies the values of Fisk University: determination, excellence, and a commitment to a more just and equitable future,” said Fisk University President Vann Newkirk in the statement.”These values have consistently been at the forefront of women’s gymnastics and Fisk could not be more excited to welcome these remarkable student-athletes to the campus starting this coming fall.”
This is another building block for Fisk in its commitment to its athletic programs, which has attracted high-profile names that have enhanced its athletic presence.
“With NBA legend Kenny Anderson and former Soccer star Desmond Armstrong as well as an outstanding woman’s volleyball program under Coach Jessica Enderle, Fisk is poised to develop elite national programs,” stated Fisk in the release.
This continues the recent string of success experienced by HBCU athletic programs, which have attracted renewed attention in recent years.
On the college gridiron, there’s Deion Sanders’ dominating presence and success Jackson State, Eddie’s George at Tennessee State and Hue Jackson’s upcoming first season at Grambling.
Steph Curry helped fund and build Howard’s golf team, Reggie Theus became the athletic director and head men’s basketball coach at Bethune Cookman, Chris Paul launched and hosted HBCU basketball tournaments and JR Smith enrolled at North Carolina A&T and joined their golf team.
Even wrestling got some love, with Morgan State relaunching their wrestling program and Bluefield State becoming the first HBCU school to add women’s wrestling.
HBCU athletics continues to grow and with sports like lacrosse, gymnastics, hockey and swimming in focus, they’re growing in new spaces.
