NCAA Iowa State cancels the remainder of the 2026 season

[Kara]

Sad, but not at all surprising after the last press release that claimed the gymnastics team has been problematic for years.

 

[cuuf]

Idk I am angry about this. I dont even care about Iowa State but the way the have handled this whole situation, they deserve all the negative energy that this can muster. What a joke, and then they try and blow smoke up everyone with a "reimagine women's sports...." BS, just call it like it is.

"We are in the B12 and as such we are not making enough revenue to support athletics. So at the first sign of trouble, because our AD self-sabotaged the gymnastics program by hiring an unqualified coach, we are taking the opportunity to shed expenses and replace it with an even cheaper women's program that allows us to remain Title IX compliant. Thanks for your understanding"

 

[BB12]

Not surprising. I feel for all the athletes involved. Hope they can find new programs.

 

[KristyJ]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor.../88961308007/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

Something just seems so odd about they way they keep referencing what happened. Repeated interpersonal issues that go back years, possibly to prior coaching staffs and teams? I feel like we really don't know something

 

[cuuf]

Someone has to dig up ex-coach Ryans instagram post. He said exactly what I said. Did not hold back. Love that guy

 

[cuuf]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor.../88961308007/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

Something just seems so odd about they way they keep referencing what happened. Repeated interpersonal issues that go back years, possibly to prior coaching staffs and teams? I feel like we really don't know something

Its called gaslighting.

 

[Ginger]

Someone has to dig up ex-coach Ryans instagram post. He said exactly what I said. Did not hold back. Love that guy

Reddit never disappoints

 

[Sasha]

KJ Kindler has commented on the happenings:

I am profoundly disappointed in the decision to eliminate Iowa State’s women’s gymnastics program. This outcome follows a troubling pattern of chronic underinvestment, unsafe and inadequate facilities, and a failure to provide the consistent oversight and care that student-athletes deserve.

What is most disturbing is the attempt to place blame on the sport of gymnastics itself. That narrative is not just inaccurate — it is unjust. Collegiate gymnastics is thriving nationwide. It is one of the fastest-growing women’s sports in the NCAA, with rising participation, expanding programs, and surging fan engagement across the country.

And beyond the competitive landscape, let us be clear about who these young women are. Women’s gymnastics student-athletes consistently rank among the highest academic achievers in all of college athletics. They graduate at remarkable rates. They maintain some of the strongest GPAs in the NCAA. They represent discipline, resilience, intelligence, and integrity at the highest level. They commit themselves fully — in the classroom, in the gym, and in their communities.

To diminish a sport built on achievement, integrity, and academic distinction is to overlook the extraordinary young women who define it.

Accountability and experience matter," Kindler continued in her statement. "And when those elements are absent, it is not the athletes who should bear the consequence. These women deserve better. The alumni deserve better. The sport deserves better.

Full article in the Des Moines Register.

 

[KristyJ]

Its called gaslighting.

Fair enough, seems to be an accurate take

 

[KristyJ]

We also have this post on Facebook via Planet of Gymnastics, which definitely hints at a whole lot more going on that is unflattering to the AD

 

[irichluck21]

Hopefully each of this year's gymnasts gets a full year of eligibility returned to them.

 

[OnoNoKomachi]

They will likely add women's flag football or maybe women's wrestling.

KJ Kindler is wrong about one thing - women's gymnastics isn't a fast-growing NCAA sport as far as participation is concerned. Very far from it. It's been basically stagnant for years.

 

[RedBirdie]

Reddit never disappoints
View attachment 13606

"You hired a user car salesman....." DYING.

Forbes has picked up the story

https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolineprice/2026/03/04/iowa-state-once-had-the-sports-best-coach-now-its-gymnastics-program-is-gone/

 

[irichluck21]

women's gymnastics isn't a fast-growing NCAA sport as far as participation is concerned. Very far from it. It's been basically stagnant for years.

I have to disagree here.

Multiple teams were added to the NCAA ranks the last few years.

• LIU (2020-2021)
• Simpson (2022-2023)
• Greenville (2022-2023)
• Fisk (2023-2024) discontinued
• Clemson (2024-2025)
• Talladega (2024-2025) discontinued
• Utica (2024-2025)
• Wilberforce (2025-2026)
• Texas State (2028-2029)

That is 9 programs within the last decade. Considering the last time a program was added was in 2001 with Arkansas, that is amazing participation. Sucks that Talladega and now Fisk are discontinued, HBCU will always face the challenge of keeping sports going. Of course Iowa State being discontinued is disappointing.

I have heard rumors of potentially two D1 schools, one in the SEC floating the idea of starting a program 2030ish season.

 

[OnoNoKomachi]

Behold - this looks pretty stagnant to me.

Women's gymnastics is not one of the fastest-growing sports in the NCAA.

That isn't 9 programs in the last decade. 2028 is in the future and may not even happen, and two were lost. So that's 6 in the last decade. What matters is net growth. The total population is also low compared to many other sports. Losing any programs when the population is already low is bad.

Women's NCAA gymnastics isn't growing faster than many other women's NCAA sports.
Lacrosse added 17 teams in a similar period. Soccer added 13. Golf added 12. The huge growth has been in beach volleyball - it went from 14 teams in 2011 to 68 now - more total teams than women's gymnastics. The big growth is in Flag Football. ISU could very well add that. It's not a championship sport yet, but it likely will be soon.

Gymnastics is hard to add because it requires special facilities and specialized coaching. It's easier to add something like Lacrosse or Flag Football. Beach Volleyball is similar.

 

[cftmoonlight79]

Gymnastics is an expensive sport to add, unfortunately. The training equipment is way pricey. This is one reason why Acro and Tumbling has been a popular add for colleges. Much less equipment needed.

 

[BB12]

Behold - this looks pretty stagnant to me.

Women's gymnastics is not one of the fastest-growing sports in the NCAA.

That isn't 9 programs in the last decade. 2028 is in the future and may not even happen, and two were lost. So that's 6 in the last decade. What matters is net growth. The total population is also low compared to many other sports. Losing any programs when the population is already low is bad.

View attachment 13609
Women's NCAA gymnastics isn't growing faster than many other women's NCAA sports.
Lacrosse added 17 teams in a similar period. Soccer added 13. Golf added 12. The huge growth has been in beach volleyball - it went from 14 teams in 2011 to 68 now - more total teams than women's gymnastics. The big growth is in Flag Football. ISU could very well add that. It's not a championship sport yet, but it likely will be soon.

Gymnastics is hard to add because it requires special facilities and specialized coaching. It's easier to add something like Lacrosse or Flag Football. Beach Volleyball is similar.

I think she is talking more about crowds and TV coverage.

Not many women's collegiate sports get the amount of coverage on the main TV networks the way that gymnastics has started to get. Multiple meets on ABC, Fox and the main ESPN channel is showing how the interest in the sport has grown in recent years.

 

[Lisaelaine80]

Not surprising, but nonetheless highly disappointing.

Hopefully Ashley Miles never gets another coaching position after this debacle.

Was Miles the problem?

 

[BB12]

Was Miles the problem?

She was part of it. Apparently her lack of coaching expereince was noticeable to the athletes and she was a terrible communicator to them.

 

[irichluck21]

I respect that analysis @OnoNoKomachi but in terms of popularity, gymnastics is much more so than flag football, beach volleyball, golf, and lacrosse. When do we see beach volleyball or lacrosse on ABC or main ESPN?

That's what I meant, that despite the costs involved with gymnastics, programs are still being added. Considering 0 were added for 20 years, the 9 (hopefully Texas State in the futre) is a good amount of teams- especially D3 teams where there is less money is pretty impressive.

I would argue that beside women's basketball, gymnastics is the most popular women's NCAA sport.

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