San Jose State University has acknowledged its recent exodus of volleyball players, including a transgender player on its team who entered the transfer portal after a controversial season.
The university issued a statement to Fox News Digital expressing “respect” for the recent wave of players who have chosen to transfer. “Student-athletes have the ability to make decisions about their collegiate athletic careers, and we fully respect that,” the statement reads.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that seven of the team's players have entered the transfer portal.
The seven transferring players will leave the team after a season that included eight forfeited games, regular police protection, domestic surveillance and internal turmoil between players and coaches. Amid the controversy, one player even received threats of physical harm.
Head coach Todd Kress said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital that the 2024 season was one of the “most difficult” seasons of his life after his team lost to Colorado State in the conference finals. even spoke.
“This has been one of the most difficult seasons I've ever experienced, and I know this is also true for many of our players and staff who have supported us all along. Court “My priority is to maintain focus on the game and ensure the overall safety and health of our players despite the outside noise,” said Kress.
Transgender athlete Blair Fleming will no longer be eligible to play after her fourth college season in 2024. The team's season ended in the Mountain West Conference championship game after advancing to the title game due to Boise State's withdrawal in the semifinal round. . Boise State forfeited two regular-season games against San Jose State amid the controversy over Fleming, and three of this year's seven conference wins came in forfeits.
The season ended with a loss to Colorado State in the conference finals, and the controversy never reached the NCAA Tournament. This loss effectively ended Fleming's college career.
In September, co-captain Brooke Slusser joined the lawsuit against the NCAA, alleging that the program failed to inform her and other players on the team about Fleming's birth gender. Slusser claimed he was made to share changing and sleeping spaces with Fleming, not knowing that Fleming was biologically male.
Slusser, along with several other Mountain West players, filed a separate lawsuit against the conference and San Jose State in November over Fleming's attendance. The lawsuit included testimony from former San Jose State volleyball players Alyssa Sugai and Elle Patterson alleging that they were given scholarships in Fleming's favor.
The lawsuit also alleges that San Jose State players spoke out about Fleming's alleged plot to spike Slusser in the face with a volleyball during an Oct. 3 game against Colorado State. Slasher was not spiked in the face in that fight. Mountain West's investigation ended without finding sufficient evidence of an alleged conspiracy.
Assistant coach Melissa Batey-Smooth was suspended from the program in early November after filing a Title IX complaint against the university for favoring Fleming over other players, specifically Thrasser. Batty Smooth's complaint also included Fleming's alleged plot to spike Slusser in the face.
Formerly Slasher told Fox News Digital Batty Smooth's dismissal reportedly had a serious impact on team morale.
“After we found out she was released, a lot of the team was broken down, distraught, and even one of my teammates felt like, 'I'm not safe anymore,' because there's no one.” They feel like they can go and talk about their concerns and their real feelings and they can actually speak freely in public,” Slusser said.
Slusser added that she and the other players have lost faith in their coaches, including head coach Cress.
“You can't really voice how you feel without them trying to hide it or acting like it's okay. With Melissa, it's easy to put your feelings into words. “She can comfort you, validate your feelings and make you feel heard, at least compared to other coaches,” Slusser said.
Cress also blamed the forfeiting teams for creating a backlash against his team, as each forfeit attracted more controversy and media attention.
“Unfortunately, other players who have played with the same team for years without any issues have chosen not to play with us this season. To be clear, we won by forfeit. Instead, we braced for the fallout, which individuals send directly to student-athletes, coaching staff, and many others involved in the program every time a disqualification is announced. A horrifying and hateful message was unleashed.”
But those issues didn't prevent most of the players from at least enjoying their final road trip as San Jose State Spartans.
Formerly Slasher told Fox News Digital When the team traveled to Las Vegas for the Mountain West tournament, the team went to a magic show together and even shared a Thanksgiving meal with many of their families at the team's hotel, all taken out from a local diner. Ta.
However, keeping the seven players who entered the transfer portal in the program will be difficult as the team will face a major roster shakeup in 2025 as it looks to recover on the court and restore its reputation. It wasn't enough.
