UPDATED
Experts and teammates raise safety concerns, citing the physical advantages of male athlete Blaire Fleming
Four collegiate women’s volleyball teams have recently forfeited games against San Jose State University, which has a trans-identifying male, Blaire Fleming, on its roster.
The University of Wyoming announced in a statement Tuesday that the women’s team will forfeit its upcoming Saturday game.
“After a lengthy discussion, the University of Wyoming will not play its scheduled conference match against San José State University in the UniWyo Sports Complex on Saturday, Oct. 5. Per Mountain West Conference policy, the Conference will record the match as a forfeit and a loss for Wyoming,” the school stated.
Southern Utah University canceled its game at the Santa Clara Tournament the weekend of Sept. 14, and Boise State University forfeited its Sept. 28 game. Mountain West Conference policy states forfeitures must be recorded as a loss.
Most recently, Utah State University’s women’s volleyball team on Wednesday announced it would canceled its match against San Jose State, set for Oct. 23.
“The University will abide by Mountain West Conference policy regarding how this match is recorded,” the university stated, referring to the fact that it will be recorded as a loss due to forfeit. The statement did not include a specified reason for the decision.
Currently, SJSU’s women’s volleyball team has a 9-1 record for the season. But many don’t consider it a victory, pointing to concerns about the team’s male athlete.
“These girls have devoted their entire lives to the sport they love and have reached one of the highest levels of achievement,” Payton McNabb, ambassador for Independent Women’s Forum, wrote in an email to The College Fix.
“Now, all of that is being taken away due to one man’s made-up view of reality. Why must we pretend it’s something it’s not? It’s cheating and it needs to stop,” she wrote.
Republican lawmakers weighed in on the controversy, too.
“I am in full support of the decision by @wyoathletics to forego playing its volleyball match against San Jose State. It is important we stand for integrity and fairness in female athletics,” Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon wrote on X.
Similarly, Idaho Gov. Brad Little praised Boise State’s decision to forfeit the game. “I applaud @BoiseState for working within the spirit of my Executive Order, the Defending Women’s Sports Act,” Little stated in a post on X.
“We need to ensure player safety for all of our female athletes and continue the fight for fairness in women’s sports,” the governor stated.
Despite the controversy, SJSU maintains its compliance with NCAA rules.
“San José State is operating our athletic programs under the regulations of both the NCAA and the Mountain West Conference. Our student athletes are in full compliance with NCAA rules and regulations,” Michelle McDonald, an SJSU spokesperson, wrote in an email to The College Fix.
McDonald refused to comment further on the controversy surrounding Fleming’s presence on the team.
Fleming ranks among the top two players on the team for total successful attacks and the average number of successful attacks per game, Outkick reported.
Teammates have complained of additional bruises after playing against Fleming in practice, increasing safety concerns, according to the news outlet.
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Brooke Slusser, co-captain of the SJSU team, recently joined a lawsuit with 12 other female athletes against the NCAA, alleging violations of Title IX regarding fairness in women’s sports, Outkick reported.
Slusser is worried about safety and competitive balance, as the 6-foot-1 Fleming’s physical capabilities exceed her female teammates and opponents, according to the complaint.
“She really views the NCAA transgender eligibility policies as an impediment to women’s achievement in sport and as an insurmountable obstacle that closes the door of athletic opportunity to many women,” Slusser’s attorney Bill Bock said.
“The reason for that is that there are just inherent physical differences between men and women,” he said.
Slusser claims she was “forced both to compete and to share a residence with Fleming without any prior notice that the athlete was male,” Outkick reported.
Riley Gaines, a participant in ongoing legal actions against the NCAA and a 12-time all-American swimmer, commended Boise State for its decision.
“Safety > inclusion. Major kudos to @BoiseState. MORE OF THIS,” she posted on X.
Gaines also posted a video to X highlighting Fleming’s physical advantages.
Male player from San Jose State @SanJoseStateVB, Blaire Fleming, leads his team to victory against Iowa @IowaVolleyball.
Look how high he jumps. Look at the speed of the ball.
Not only is this unfair, it’s dangerous. pic.twitter.com/1JXcll1zeh
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) September 6, 2024
Gaines could not be reached for comment by The College Fix.
But not everyone supported Boise State’s decision to forfeit.
“[It] is a disappointing display of fear-mongering and discrimination,” Tom Temprano, managing director of external affairs for Equality California, an LGBTQ advocacy group, told the San Francisco Chronicle.
“This goes against the values of fairness and dignity that sports should uphold,” he said.
“…Boise State’s actions distract from real safety issues and fuel the dangerous anti-transgender rhetoric on the rise across the nation,” he said.
Santa Clara University competed against SJSU on Sept. 15 and lost. Fleming made 11 successful attacks and 10 key defensive plays, leading the team to victory. However, the official post-game recap on SJSU’s athletics website notably omitted his name.
Fleming transferred from Coastal Carolina University to SJSU in 2021. At the time, South Carolina adopted a law banning transgender students from competing in women’s sports, as previously reported by The College Fix.
Editor’s note: This post has been updated to include that a fourth college has forfeited against SJSU — Utah State University — as well as to update SJSU’s win-loss record, which stands at 9-1.
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IMAGE: sanjosestatevb/Instagram
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