With a century of dominance, national titles, and back-to-back triumphs, Minnesota Men’s Gymnastics stood among the nation’s best. Then, in 2021, everything unraveled. Citing financial strain, the University cut funding and dropped the team from its varsity lineup, a move that drew immediate backlash from across the nation. Yet the Gophers refused to fade away. Led by their determined coach, Mike Burns, they fought for survival and found a new home, moving beyond the NCAA affiliation.

The 14,000-square-foot facility inside St. Paul’s Fairview Business Center is a converted warehouse now used for Minnesota gymnastics. It has 20-foot ceilings and long corridors, not as advanced as the University’s former setup, but sufficient for training. To reduce costs, Coach Burns utilized Facebook Marketplace to acquire lobby chairs and equipment for the soon-to-open recreational area, which will host kids’ classes.

Speaking to the media, the coach was overwhelmed.

“I actually got a little emotional. You only really need two things to have an athletic program: You need to have a gym. You need to have a coach. So we got coaches, and now we have a gym, so we have a program.”

Now in the fourth year since the program was cut, men’s gymnastics coach Mike Burns isn’t seeking a return to NCAA affiliation. Instead, he’s focused on building an independent space for male gymnasts and operating the program under a non-revenue sports model.

Mike Burns still remembers the meeting where University of Minnesota administrators informed him they planned to cut men’s gymnastics from the varsity program. Despite pushing back, he couldn’t save the century-old team or the athletes under him. After the cut, Burns didn’t step away; he took on jobs like driving Uber and delivering food to keep supporting the effort to get the program reinstated.

His hard work certainly paid off. In the 2021-2022 season, the team, or we can now say club, placed fourth at GymACT Nationals and in the next season, they won the national title. Then, in the 2024-25 season, they clinched second place despite not having their own facility. The University of Minnesota has a long competitive history and has produced two Olympians for Team USA: John Roethlisberger, who competed in the 1992 Barcelona, 1996 Atlanta, and 2000 Sydney Games, and Shane Wiskus, who represented the U.S. at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics.

After four long years without a home, the University of Minnesota Men’s Gymnastics Club finally has a permanent facility. With the new gym now set up, decorated, and fully operational, the gymnasts couldn’t be happier.

Minnesota gymnasts are happy as their coach moves away from the NCAA

When things get tough, the tough get going, and the University of Minnesota’s men’s gymnasts are proving exactly that. Sophomore Paul Acker told reporters that despite the challenges, the team remains united, because even in hard times, they still have each other.

“We look out for each other. It’s really when we are together, like when we are traveling, that is when the ambience is. It definitely helps.”

Another gymnast, Caleb Gurman, who was a freshman that year, said, “It was a little bit demoralizing. I feel like I’ve been able to train harder because I’m spending not as much time on the road.”

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Earlier, the gymnasts had to train at multiple facilities far from their homes or dorms. Now, with a permanent training space in place, their daily routine becomes far simpler and more manageable.

“In the wintertime, it is difficult with the weather,” said Owen Frank, junior on the men’s gymnastics team.

“He (Mike Burns) has been our rock. Making sure that everyone is doing what they need to be doing. It doesn’t seem like he ever sleeps because he is just constantly working.”

With the new gym, the gymnasts can now shift their focus completely to proving themselves at the GymACT in order to make sure that the higher authorities recognize them despite not competing under the banner of the NCAA.