San José State reach volleyball final after opponents pull out over ‘trans’ player
Colorado State University police behind the San Jose State University Spartans bench during an NCAA Mountain West women’s volleyball game between the Spartans and the Colorado State Rams on Thursday, Oct. 03, 2024. (Getty)
San José State women’s volleyball team has reached the final of a tournament after their semi-final opponents Boise State became the latest team to forfeit because of one player reported to be trans.
The San José Spartans have been at the centre of a row about one of its players. Her inclusion has resulted in other universities refusing to play National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) matches against them.
While the player’s name has been reported in the media, neither she nor the university has spoken about her identity and PinkNews has chosen not to identify her.
The forfeits – the most recent being Boise State in the Mountain West Conference tournament in Las Vegas – mean the Spartans have been steadily rising up the league table. They are now due to face either Colorado State or San Diego State on Saturday (20 November) to decide who wins the championship, with the winners qualifying for a national tournament.
This is the third time this season Boise State have refused to play The Spartans. Four other universities, Wyoming, Utah State, Nevada and Southern Utah, have also forfeited games.
A former Spartans teammate and coach are among those to have filed a lawsuit against San José, alleging that the supposedly trans player’s inclusion violated their Title XI rights, which prohibit sex-based discrimination in education activities.
However, on Monday (25 November), a judge ruled that the player at the centre of the storm can compete, pointing out that trans people are also protected under Title IX and the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution.
Judge S Kato Crews also said those who challenged the league’s policy should have filed the emergency injunction earlier, especially given the first forfeit was in September.
Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.
How did this story make you feel?
