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As a little girl, Morgan Price often felt isolated because she was one of the very few black gymnasts on her team. After graduating from high school, in 2023, Price initially signed to Arkansas, but later joined the first Historically Black Colleges and Universities’ intercollegiate team, Fisk University, in Nashville. That is when she found comfort and inspiration in the team’s head coach, Corrine Tarver. It was reported that Tarver asked Price if she wanted “to make history” and that lit the fire in her. 

A few weeks ago, Price created history and became the 1st athlete from a historically Black College/University to win a national collegiate championship and was one among 12 athletes from different colleges that joined the 2024 USA Gymnastics Women’s Collegiate National Championship. She scored 9.850 in uneven bars, 9.80 in vault, 9.850 in floor exercise, and 9.725 in balance beam, which totalled an all-around score of 39.225.

The Fisk University gymnast recently appeared in an interview with ‘CBS Mornings’ to celebrate this feat. Accompanied by her mother on the show, the 18-year-old revealed her ambition to the host, Gayle King. Price said she knew how in the olden days, African-Americans were not allowed to go to the same school as white people did, so she chose to go to an HBCU over Arkansas, “So I just feel like it’s an honor and kind of living out my legacy and being able to show able to show my talents and do it at an HBCU is so honoring to me… Might as well just make history…” She also explained why this move was very close to her heart.

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Since she started training as a 2-year-old, she never had black teammates or an African-American coach ever. Fortunately, her life changed after she was admitted to Fisk University. The institution is well known for boasting a rich heritage of Afro-American and Latin students. Naturally, Price felt at home and she also made a lot of friends. And, the HC was a torchbearer for women empowerment in the sport.

Tarver was the 1st black gymnast to win the NCAA all-around title in 1989 when she represented the Georgia Bulldogs. Price and Tarver’s ideologies matched and got stronger as they wanted to inspire the younger generation of African American girls to pursue the sport. The 2022 Nastia Liukin Cup runner-up, further revealed that her “ultimate goal is to win another title – and to be an HBCU gymnastics coach.”

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However, Morgan Price has another constant support who has been part of her struggling journey since day 1 and was involved in the SEC.

Morgan Price was familiar with SEC even before she joined them

During a segment of the show, Price expressed deep gratitude to her mother, Marsha Price for being the strong pillar in her life. Morgan Price and her siblings were born in Lebanon, Tennessee but later had to relocate to Dallas, Texas because their father, Chris, died in a tragic motorcycle accident when she was just 6 years old. Acknowledging her mother’s sacrifices, Price said, “She is a widow and she had to raise all three girls by herself – and my brother… She’s a very hard-working mom. She has taught me everything that I know today, so I’m just thankful for her…”

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Price also revealed that she has deep roots in sports. Her father was a baseball player with the Kansas City Royals and her mother, Marsha, was a former cheerleader and graduate of Vanderbilt University in Nashville. So while young Morgan grew up in that locality, she became familiar with SEC. Since she didn’t have other friends, back then the only person she could find comfort in was her sister, Frankie. 

It was reported a few years ago when she supposedly signed with Arkansas, it was partially because of her sister. In 2023, Price wanted to debut along with Frankie, who was coming off an ACL injury. She said, “We don’t compete against each other, we support and encourage each other… We look forward to sharing a new special bond as Gymback sisters…” However, she changed her mind and stepped into Fisk University and the rest is history.