Morgan Price Makes History as the USA Gymnastics Women’s All-Around National Champion
The First Student From an HBCU to Accomplish the Feat
Morgan Price had two incompatible goals: to be a collegiate gymnast and to attend a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). Until recently, there were no HBCUs with a women’s gymnastic program. Morgan chose what she thought was her best option and accepted an offer from an SEC school, The University of Arkansas, one of the nation’s top programs. In February of her senior year at Coppell High School in Coppell, TX, Morgan saw a post on Instagram about Fisk University fielding the first HBCU women’s gymnastics squad. Price sent an e-mail to coach Corrinne Wright Tarver, a former star gymnast from the University of Georgia, to get the particulars. Tarver asked Price if she wanted to make history.
“Do you want to make history?
Coach Tarver was a history-maker herself. She was Georgia's first Black female gymnast and was part of multiple national championship teams. In 1989, Tarver won the same All-Around gold medal as Price.
“When I went to Georgia, I was the first Black gymnast to go to Georgia. You could count on your hands how many Black gymnasts were in college gymnastics back then.” — Corrinne Tarver
