Controversy after volleyball teams opt out of SJSU matches over trans athlete

Nov 12

Karah Rucker Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Reporter), Alex Delia (Producer), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

San Jose State University’s volleyball team has become the focal point of a national debate over transgender athletes’ participation in women’s sports. This has sparked a wave of forfeits, a coach suspension, and public statements from high-profile political figures.

Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™

Several Mountain West Conference (MWC) teams, including Wyoming, Boise State, Utah State and Southern Utah, have forfeited matches against San Jose State. The schools have cited concerns about fairness and safety due to a transgender athlete on the SJSU roster.

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.

Point phone camera here

The forfeits began in October when Boise State and Utah State withdrew from matches with SJSU. Other teams followed suit, with players citing safety and a desire to protect the “integrity of women’s sports.”

In one instance, the University of Nevada’s volleyball team considered a forfeit before ultimately deciding to play, with players stating their solidarity with those who had forfeited but choosing to honor scheduled matches.

The issue gained widespread attention in November when President-elect Donald Trump publicly voiced support for the forfeitures. He framed the situation as a safety risk and aligned with state officials, including governors from Idaho, Utah and Wyoming.

Trump pointed to what he described as “a safety incident” involving the athlete, though San Jose State later clarified the circumstances of the referenced event.

San Jose State also faced internal challenges, suspending assistant volleyball coach Melissa Batie-Smoose. The suspension came after her public comments on Fox News questioning the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports.

The Mountain West Conference clarified that San Jose State’s transgender athlete meets NCAA and conference eligibility requirements. That means forfeiting teams will incur official losses, impacting their standings and potential qualification for the upcoming MWC tournament in Las Vegas.

The forfeitures and backlash have also raised questions about future conference policies and legal frameworks, as universities balance state-level political influences with federal laws regarding inclusivity in sports. Other MWC teams are expected to weigh in on whether they will participate in matches with San Jose State.

As the debate continues, the situation at San Jose State has become a flashpoint in the evolving discourse on gender and athletics, with implications that may resonate beyond the MWC.

Tags: Donald Trump, Idaho, NCAA, Nevada, Sports, Transgender, Transgender athletes, Utah, Wyoming

[Karah]

A CONTROVERSY AT SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY IS CONTINUING THE DEBATE OVER THE INCLUSION OF TRANSGENDER ATHLETES IN WOMEN’S SPORTS.

IT ALL STARTED LAST MONTH WHEN TEAMS INCLUDING WYOMING, BOISE STATE, UTAH STATE, UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA-RENO, AND SOUTHERN UTAH FORFEITED GAMES AGAINST SAN JOSE STATE, WHICH HAS AN REPORTED TRANSGENDER ATHLETE ON ITS WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL ROSTER. THOSE TEAMS CLAIM THE ATHLETE’S PRESENCE RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT FAIRNESS IN WOMEN’S COMPETITION. SAN JOSE STATE, HOWEVER, SAYS THE ATHLETE MEETS ALL ELIGIBILITY RULES SET BY THE NCAA AND THE MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE.

THE MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE COMMISSIONER EXPRESSED CONCERN, CALLING THE SITUATION “HEARTBREAKING,” ADDING THAT IT’S TAKING A TOLL ON ALL ATHLETES INVOLVED.

THIS ISSUE HAS QUICKLY BECOME A POLITICAL ONE, WITH REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS IN STATES LIKE IDAHO, UTAH, AND WYOMING VOICING SUPPORT FOR THE FORFEITS, ARGUING THAT THE INCLUSION OF TRANSGENDER ATHLETES DISRUPTS THE COMPETITIVE FAIRNESS IN WOMEN’S SPORTS.

MEANWHILE, SAN JOSE STATE ASSISTANT VOLLEYBALL COACH MELISSA BATIE-SMOOSE, WAS SUSPENDED AFTER PUBLICLY QUESTIONING THE INCLUSION OF TRANSGENDER ATHLETES IN WOMEN’S SPORTS.

Melissa Batie-Smoose. Asst. Coach San Jose State Spartans

“We need more and more people to do this and fight this fight… because women’s sports as we know it right now.. Will be forever changed.”

THE SUSPENSION PROMPTED THE TEAM’S CO-CAPTAIN, BROOKE SLUSSER TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST TRANS ATHLETES IN WOMEN’S SPORTS.

Brooke Slusser. Co-Captain. San Jose State Spartans

“this has so much more to do with… me , my situation, my team’s situation… it has everything to do with just stopping it for the future of girls and women’s sports. Because like I said, women’s sports might be gone at the end of the day if we keep going the way we’re going.”

BUT MANY… INCLUDING FANS OF THE TEAM ARE SHOWING SUPPORT FOR TRANSGENDER ATHLETES’ RIGHT TO PLAY.

“those people deserve as much as the rest of us to be able to play sports and be able to represent the universities”

SAN JOSE STATE’S HEAD COACH, TODD KRESS, SAYS THE ONGOING CONTROVERSY AND THE FORFEITS HAVE BEEN EMOTIONALLY CHALLENGING FOR HIS TEAM.

Todd Kress, San Jose State Head Coach

“the student athletes in particular received a lot of hate mail DMS voicemail some of it to be honest is disgusting I’m more worried about our student athletes and what they receive and how that’s affecting their mental health to be quite honest”

WITH THE MOUNTAIN WEST TOURNAMENT CLOSING IN, THE FORFEITS ARE ADDING PRESSURE. TEAMS THAT OPT OUT RECEIVE OFFICIAL LOSSES, WHICH COULD IMPACT THEIR ELIGIBILITY FOR THE TOURNAMENT. OTHER TEAMS ARE NOW DECIDING WHETHER TO CONTINUE FORFEITING MATCHES AGAINST SAN JOSE STATE OR COMPETE.

RECENTLY UNCOVERED EMAILS BY USA TODAY REVEALED TURMOIL WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING, WHERE VOTES TO FORFEIT WERE A 9-TO-9 TIE, YET THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT STILL DECIDED NOT TO PLAY… LEADING TO ACCUSATIONS FROM COACHES OF OUTSIDE POLITICAL PRESSURE HAVING AN INFLUENCE.

FOR MORE UNBIASED UPDATES AND STRAIGHT FACTS… DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS… I’M KARAH RUCKER.