In a video statement made by Endowed Cyclone Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard, it was announced that Iowa State University will be discontinuing its women’s gymnastics program and replacing it with another sport.

The university will honor scholarship commitments and allow any of the student-athletes who remain at Iowa State to complete their degree program.

“There are moments, there are situations and there are days when being the leader isn’t very enjoyable and certainly not a lot of fun,” Pollard said. “Our recent situation with our women’s gymnastics program is one of those times.”

Pollard explained that the student-athletes felt that conflicts among individual student-athletes, the coaching staff, and parents were enough to suspend the season.

During both the 2018 and 2023 seasons, Iowa State conducted independent evaluations or studies on the program. The 2023 study led to a complete overhaul of the coaching staff.

“Our continued inability by our department to provide gymnastics team members that same level of experience that the other 17 sports are receiving is disappointing and very concerning.”

In the end, Pollard asked his senior leadership team to meet with individuals who work closely with the gymnastics program and provide him with a recommendation to move forward.

“Our leadership team has recommended to me that we discontinue our women’s gymnastics program and redeploy those resources into another women’s sport that provides equal or maybe even more opportunities for female athletes,” Pollard said.

Contracts for the coaching staff will not be renewed with the discontinuation of the sport and the athletics department said they will help the student athletes moving forward, whether that is entering the transfer portal or finding a new home to compete as a gymnast if they choose.

“We will work with them and the NCAA to try to get back this year of eligibility,” Pollard said.