AMES, Iowa — Iowa State is disbanding its women’s gymnastics program.
The decision, announced by athletic director Jamie Pollard on Tuesday, comes shortly after the school canceled the remainder of its 2026 season due to what Pollard described as “unresolved” issues between players, coaches and parents.
Pollard said the school will replace gymnastics with another women’s sport that “provides equal or additional participation opportunities” for female athletes.
The school will honor the scholarships of current or incoming gymnasts who choose to remain at the university, including ensuring they will continue to have access to all departmental services available to Iowa State student-athletes. Pollard said the athletic department will also assist any gymnast who wants to enter the transfer portal.
Members of the coaching staff, including head coach Ashley Miles Gregg, will not have their contracts renewed.
Pollard called the move “the right decision for our athletics program and our student athletes,” citing the pattern of issues within the program over the past decade.
Various issues led to a “complete review” of women’s gymnastics in 2018. In 2023, the university hired a Minnesota-based law firm to conduct an independent evaluation of the program, leading to sweeping changes that included implementing a new coaching staff.
When similar issues arose three years later, Iowa State initially opted to cancel the remainder of the season because Pollard said “the student-athletes felt the conflicts were so problematic” they could not continue.
A leadership council within the university spent several weeks talking to various stakeholders in the program before recommending the closure of women’s gymnastics.
“The student-athlete experience is at the core of what our department is very proud of,” Pollard said. “Our department continues to be unable to provide members of our women’s gymnastics team [a positive] The experience…is disappointing and very worrying.”
Pollard said finances played no role in the decision, adding that whatever game the Cyclones eventually add could be just as expensive to field, if not more expensive.
Iowa State has won four conference titles in women’s gymnastics, the last in 2006.
