A situation already full of twists and turns continued Friday when one of the women's volleyball players accused of conspiring with transgender San Jose State player Blair Fleming to injure one of her teammates took a knee before a semifinal game. This led to a new development.
Malaya Jones is accused of secretly meeting with Fleming to alter game results and injuring San Jose State player Brooke Slusser, as well as other Colorado stats before the game against San Diego State. He knelt down with two other players.
After the game, Colorado State head coach Emily Cohan stood by her players and their political statements.
The allegations stem from a Title IX lawsuit filed by San Jose State assistant head coach Melissa Batty Smooth. The Mountain West Conference launched an investigation into the allegations, but closed it without punishing Jones or Fleming. However, Batty Smooth was suspended after filing a complaint.
San Jose State volleyball player Chandler Manuski disclosed the alleged conspiracy in a separate lawsuit. She said she, Fleming and other teammates ignored team rules and snuck out of the hotel to meet with Jones.
“Mr. Manuski said that at the Jones residence, Mr. Fleming shared with Mr. Jones the scouting information for the CSU vs. FC game and discussed Mr. Fleming's pitching.”[ing] “The match” and how Jones “blasts” the slasher during the match, giving her a “blowout” in the face, the lawsuit states.
Colorado State defeated San Diego State on Friday, followed by conference championship matchups on Saturday between Jones State and Colorado State and Fleming State and San Jose State.
