Two Nashville HBCUs are offering an alternative direction for sports, and by extension providing a pathway for others to follow. Tennessee State University and Fisk University are making inroads in sports where HBCU teams haven’t previously competed. By doing so they’re not only showing there’s opportunities in those areas for individual athletes, but demonstrating they can attract top coaching talents and generate national publicity and attention in the process.
Tennessee State last week announced the hiring of Duante Abercrombie as the first head coach of their new hockey team, the first head coach of any hockey program at an HBCU. “I am incredibly excited to embark on building this program, supported by God, my family, TSU students, alumni, and all those eagerly awaiting this moment,” Abercrombie said in a statement.. “I firmly believe that one day, TSU will be recognized not only as a powerhouse on the ice, but also as a program whose student-athletes leave a profound legacy on the world, enriched by the lessons learned at TSU.”
This continues the steps taken in June 2023, when the school made its announcement that they would be the first HBCU to offer men’s hockey, “Duanté Abercrombie’s appointment as TSU’s head coach of hockey is a testament to our dedication to breaking barriers,” said TSU President Glenda Glover. “We recognize the profound significance of bringing hockey to an HBCU and providing our students with unparalleled opportunities that will enrich their college experience. This bold move builds upon the TSU legacy that we had envisioned for the institution as a comprehensive university offering a wide range of academic and extracurricular programs, with a continued commitment to excellence.” Abercrombie is an inaugural member of the National Hockey League Coaches’ Association’s BIPOC Coaches Program, which aims to specifically support Black, Indigenous, and coaches of color in several areas including skills development, leadership strategies, communication tactics, networking, and career advancement opportunities.
Raised in Washington, D.C., Abercrombie was mentored throughout his hockey journey by notable Black hockey figures such as Neal Henderson and Graeme Townshend. Henderson, the first Black and third person of color inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, has led the Fort Dupont Cannons Ice Hockey Club since 1978, garnering numerous distinguished awards. Townshend, the first Jamaican-born player in the NHL, operates the Townshend Hockey School, where Abercrombie serves as a senior instructor, working with NCAA and NHL prospects.
The TSU move comes roughly two weeks after Fisk University made history in another athletic area, Gymnast Morgan Price became the first athlete from an HBCU to win the all-around title at the USA Gymnastics Women’s Collegiate National Championships. Competing in West Chester, Pa., Price topped her opponents on Saturday with a score of 39.225, totaled from individual scores on floor exercise (9.850), uneven bars (9.850), balance beam (9.725) and vault (9.80). This was a huge improvement over her 2023 performance, when she finished tied for eighth in the all-around competition with a score of 38.40. In addition, Price was later named an All-American in four categories: all-around, floor exercise, uneven bars and vault. Fisk teammate Liberty Mora was named second-team All-American in the balance beam competition. Another Fisk gymnast, Aliyah Reed-Hammon, was named second-team All-Amercan in the vault competition. Price’s all-around victory at the competition comes almost two years after the former five-star recruit surprised the gymnastics world, decommitting from the University of Arkansas to become part of Fisk’s start-up program.
These achievements come only two years after Fisk began the gymnastics program. They show how quickly a school can rise in a sport with savvy recruiting and good coaching. More importantly, they show that HBCUs can succeed in other sports besides football and basketball, and in programs that don’t require the monetary investment or athletic infrastructure of those other two. TSU and Fisk have received substantial mainstream coverage from these events, and are demonstrating that HBCU athletics can continue to develop championship caliber athletes even in sports where they previously weren’t represented.
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