For a teenager from Minneapolis, earning a spot on the inaugural gymnastics team at Talladega College in Alabama was like stepping into history. The small HBCU had become only the second in the country to launch a gymnastics program, following in the pioneering footsteps of Fisk University in 2022. It all started for her at the Brown Girls Do Gymnastics camp!

It was there that Aja Sims-Fletcher, then-head coach at Talladega, first spotted Diamond Cook—midair, mid-tuck, full of promise. “I saw something in her, kind of like a spark and an energy that was really, really inviting,” Aja said. That one moment sealed it. “And I was like…I would love for you to be a part of this team.” Thus, the young gymnast found her launching pad. But the road ahead wasn’t without twists as the Talladega College has to shut down its gymnastics program due to financial constraints. But she turned it into a comeback.

Now representing Wilberforce University—a fellow HBCU with a brand-new gymnastics program barely a year old—Diamond isn’t just competing. She’s making history. On April 11, with grace, grit, and that same undeniable spark, she became the first gymnast from Wilberforce to qualify for the national event finals in floor exercise.

From a team still finding its rhythm, Diamond rose above the noise, becoming a beacon for what’s possible when you refuse to let go of your fire. And this fire might help her on Sunday (April 13) to make her position in the leaderboard. Daimond Cook scored a 9.75 on floor in WCGNIC Prelims I to secure her position in finals for floor in the individual event. Also, Morgan Fisk scored 39.3500 all around, 9.9000 beams, 9.8500 bars, 9.8250 floors, and 9.7750 vault in the second session. Again, the route will not be easy for Diamond Cook. 

On Sunday, the gymnasts will face tough competition in the floor exercise event. On her opposition side, there are names like Lily McFarland (WCU), Erica Beyer (SCSU), Sophie Hernandez (TWU), Abigail Kenney (Bridgeport), and Bailey Upton (TWU). And to topple such names would need something more in characters. Does Diamond Cook have that? Well, as we know, pressure creates diamonds, and the Minneapolis native has had several such situations. One of those came to her at Talladega College last year. 

The uncertainty in continuing collegiate gymnastics 

Just as it was starting to find its rhythm, the Talladega College gymnastics program—one of only two at historically Black colleges—was abruptly shut down last year. The announcement came like a crack in the floor beneath the athletes’ feet. This wasn’t just about a team being disbanded. It was about dreams being paused, erased, and rewritten. Also, the timing couldn’t have been more painful. The gymnasts, including standout talent Diamond Cook, had been making waves on the national stage. They weren’t just participating in USA Gymnastics competitions—they were performing. Representing. Inspiring. Proving they belonged. So, why pull the plug?

As it turns out, the culprit was the all-too-familiar challenge that haunts programs with heart but not deep pockets: money. The college cited a lack of financial support as the main reason for shutting down the program. Despite their success, despite their visibility, despite the undeniable need for spaces like this—especially for young Black women in a sport still working on inclusivity—the funding just didn’t come. But the athletes didn’t go down without a fight.

They launched a GoFundMe campaign, calling on the community, alumni, fans—anyone—to help them keep their program alive. Their plea wasn’t just for mats and leotards. It was for opportunity. For equity. For the chance to keep making history.

“We know that our goal is daunting, but without it, we will be forced to put our education and athletic careers on hold. It is too late for our team to find homes.” The message read between every line. But despite the spirit, the story didn’t get its fairytale ending—at least not there. The lights dimmed in the gym. The vaults and beams fell silent. The program was gone. And yet, even in that silence, something still echoed.

Hope. Because athletes like Diamond Cook didn’t stop flipping. They didn’t stop flying. They simply found new places to rise—like Wilberforce University, where Diamond is now carving a whole new chapter.