The University of Minnesota men’s gymnastics club began moving out of their home gym in Cooke Hall on May 31, less than a month after winning a national title. 

The University’s Planning, Space and Real Estate (PRSE) service surveyed the team’s home on the third floor of Cooke Hall after several organizations requested to use the space, according to Regent Mary Turner.

PRSE recommended to Interim President Ettinger that the facility be used for the University’s diving team, kinesiology program and RecWell activities. Ettinger adopted PRSE’s recommendation leaving head gymnastics coach Mike Burns and his 23 athletes scrambling for a new home.

The team used Cooke Hall long before the Board of Regents voted to eliminate its Division I status in 2020. Since then, the group joined the Gymnastics Association of College Teams (GymACT).

The club’s athletes were vocal about being forced out. Team captain Kellen Ryan was part of the first freshman class after the discontinuation of their Division I status.

The Board denied Ryan’s request to speak on behalf of the team at their meeting on June 14. Parents showed their support by contacting the Board in hopes of having the moving decision reversed.

Burns said the team is pushing for an on-campus practice location even if it means sharing the space with another group. 

“Something magical happens in this space,” Burns said about Cooke Hall. “It’s sad we can’t find a way to coexist.”

Regent chair Janie Mayeron stated in an email obtained by the Minnesota Daily that the team cannot share Cooke Hall with the other groups because their equipment “cannot reasonably and safely be set up and taken down between each practice.” 

Mayeron then reaffirmed her denial of Ryan’s request to speak to the Board.

“RecWell confirmed that no sports clubs have dedicated practice space,” Mayeron said. “Some sports clubs opt to practice off campus for convenience or because there are off-campus spaces more suitable to their sport.”

Mayeron said the University’s new $15.5 million facility dedicated to the women’s gymnastics team could not accommodate the men.

Sophomore Ben Letvin said the constant refusal from the Board to listen to the team is frustrating because “it’s their job to listen to the students.”

“We’re not going to let the University just kind of kill our dreams like that, even though they don’t really support us at all,” Letvin added.

Regent Turner said the team deserved to be heard in more ways than just emails or videos despite being told there would be no changes. 

Turner added the board should emulate city councils and allow the public to speak in short intervals while also becoming a University system known for listening to its community.

“You still need to let everyone know just what it means to you,” Turner said. “We go on and have meeting after meeting about mission, and our mission is to students.”

According to Burns, the team has until June 16 to move out or they face moving fines. The University has offered the Bell Museum as a place to store the team’s equipment.

The club has been successful since joining GymACT, finishing fourth in the nation in 2022 and 2023. 

With the adversity stacked against the team in finding a new home, Ryan was certain the team would continue to execute success. 

“It’ll be a difficult change,” Ryan said. “Ultimately it’s not going to tear down our program, which is good.”

As of June 7, the team has been practicing at Mini-Hops Gymnastics, where former Gopher and 2020 Olympic competitor Shane Wiskus trained. The team also practices at both Twin Cities Twisters locations. 

Burns’ crew has not found a permanent home and there is no agreement between their temporary training locations for long-term use as of June 7.