The Boise State women's volleyball team has withdrawn from its upcoming match against San Jose State University (SJSU) amid a controversy regarding the male members of the team.
Boise State released a statement in response to Outkick, announcing the decision.
“The Boise State volleyball team will not play its scheduled game at San Jose State University on Saturday, September 28th,” the statement said. said. “Per Mountain West Conference policy, the conference will record this game as a forfeit and loss to Boise State. The Broncos will next face Air Force on Oct. 3.”
Boise State became the second team to forfeit a game against San Jose State this month.
Boise State's statement did not explicitly mention the male player, but it is known that Blair Fleming, a transgender player who transferred from Coastal Carolina, is on San Jose State's roster. It is being
Fleming's former teammate Brooke Slusser, along with women's sports advocate and former Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines, sued the NCAA for allowing male athletes to compete in women's sports.
“I commend the Boise State athletic department and everyone involved in the decision to cancel the game against undefeated San Jose State,” Gaines told FOX News Digital.
“There are principles that go beyond winning on the court, and the safety and health of female athletes is one of them. It is encouraging to see more organizations prioritize equity and athlete safety over mandatory participation. I hope more universities follow Boise State and Southern Utah's lead and stand up for what's right and protect the integrity of women's sports.”
Slusser said in his complaint that he feared for the safety of other players when Fleming was on the court.
According to the Cowboy State Daily, Slusser's complaint states, “Brook estimated that Fleming's spike speed exceeded 80 miles per hour, which is the same as when he saw the woman hit the volleyball. “It was faster than anything I've ever seen before.” “Although the girls were doing their best to avoid Fleming's spikes, they were still unable to fully protect themselves.”
NCAA in statement on Outkick I wrote“College sports are the highest stage for women's sports in America, and NCAA members will continue to advance Title IX, make unprecedented investments in women's sports, and ensure equity for all student-athletes at every NCAA Championship.” We will ensure strong competition.”
Southern Utah State also forfeited its game against SJSU in the Santa Clara tournament.
“The Southern Utah University volleyball team has elected to play only two non-conference games in this weekend's Santa Clara Tournament,” the school said in a statement. said In a statement to Outkick he said:
“The Thunderbirds want to make the most of these games and continue to build momentum for a successful season. Southern Utah State has notified the tournament director and opposing teams of this decision and we hope they will I hope the rest of the season goes well.”
