San Jose State University women’s volleyball faces its fifth potential opponent to forfeit a match against them because of an allegedly transgender teammate. The University of Nevada, Reno has not formally declared a forfeit at this time. However, student-athletes gave an official statement to online news source OutKick, revealing that they would forfeit at the net on the day of the match against the university's wishes.
With this potential forfeit, the list of schools refusing to play SJSU includes the University of Nevada, Reno, Boise State University, the University of Wyoming, Southern Utah University and Utah State University.
In their statement, Nevada’s women’s volleyball team said, “We demand that our right to safety and fair competition on the court be upheld. We refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes.”
Related: Transgender Women's Volleyball Player Sparks Forfeits, Title IX Lawsuit
However, immediately after this statement was released, university officials reached out to the same news outlet to say, “the players’ decision does not represent the position of the University.”
Blaire Fleming, the SJSU athlete at the center of this controversy, has played with the Spartans for three years. Prior to her time with SJSU, she played for Coastal Carolina. Several of her teammates have said they had no idea Fleming was transgender.
Fleming’s teammate Brooke Slusser has been the most vocal about Fleming’s involvement with the team, joining a class action lawsuit against the NCAA and applauding the schools that forfeit games against SJSU. She posted on X yesterday saying, “Round of applause to the girls of the @NevadaWolfPack volleyball team. Deciding to go against what the school was forcing on you as young women and taking a stand for what you believe takes courage! Another great step in the right direction for women’s sports!”
The match between SJSU and the University of Nevada, Reno is scheduled to take place on Oct. 26. As the nation erupts into a debate about transgender women participating in sports, time will tell how the battle between the University of Nevada, Reno administration and the women’s volleyball team’s wishes will play out.
