UNR offers support for volleyball players, but won’t back protest

UNR said Thursday it supports its volleyball players’ decision to not play a match against San Jose State, but will not back the protest against the participation of transgender athletes in sports.

The university followed up on an earlier statement to “clarify certain points” regarding its choice not to forfeit a match against San Jose State on Oct. 26. A majority of players said they wanted to forfeit the match, and the university said its views don’t align.

“On Oct. 13, a majority of the Wolf Pack women’s volleyball team issued a statement to the university informing it that the team had decided it was forfeiting the scheduled match with San Jose State University,” the school’s latest statement read. “While players are not authorized to forfeit the match — this decision is one that only the university and our department of athletics can officially make — the university continues to support the rights of the volleyball players who choose not to participate.”

The university used an editor’s note to place extra emphasis on a reference to Article I, Section 24 of the Nevada Constitution, which protects equal rights of “gender identity or expression” and other factors.

“As a state university, a forfeiture for reasons involving gender identity or expression could constitute per se discrimination and violate the Nevada Constitution,” the statement read, adding that canceling also could violate the right to free expression protected by the First Amendment.

UNR-San Jose State status

Its remains unclear whether the Wolf Pack and Spartans will play Oct. 26 in Reno. Referees and play-by-play staff will be at the gym, but everything else is fluid, a UNR spokesperson said.

Nevada GOP Senate candidate Sam Brown and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard attended UNR’s most recent match, a win over Utah State on Tuesday. Conservative attorney Joe Gilbert was also reportedly at the match, and his office confirmed Thursday it is representing team captain Sia Liilii and several players.

Following Tuesday’s win, Liilii told reporters that nobody on the team would suit up for the San Jose State game. Each team needs at least six players to play a match.

A UNR spokesperson said the university might not know until right before the scheduled noon start if enough players had shown up to play the match.

San Jose State expects to be notified much sooner than that.

“We plan to show up,” San Jose State media relations director Michelle Smith McDonald said Thursday. “We are waiting on an update from Nevada on whether they expect to have enough players to field a team that day. And if they do, we will be there.”

MW commissioner concerned

Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez said Thursday at the men’s basketball media day at Resorts World that she’s concerned about the well-being of players on both teams and around the conference.

Conference members Boise State, Utah State and Wyoming have canceled games against San Jose State, but NCAA and Mountain West policies prevent Nevarez from commenting on the forfeitures directly.

“It’s a national issue, but we have policy at the NCAA level that is dictating how we handle it, and our goal is to respect both sides of the issues,” she said. “Young people have a right to use sport as a platform and express their views, but you also have athletes who are complying with the policy and eligible. We have to respect and protect that as well.”

Instead of addressing the forfeitures, Nevarez discussed the increased visibility and interest surrounding Mountain West volleyball.

“The biggest challenge for me personally is that there are human beings on both sides of this. These aren’t hypotheticals,” she said. “All the debate and angst on both sides are about individual student-athletes — young people that are getting all the negativity. It’s just unfortunate.”

The controversy began in September, when Brooke Slusser, a junior at San Jose State and co-captain on the team, joined a lawsuit against the NCAA’s inclusion rules. The filing said Slusser no longer wants Spartans senior Blaire Fleming on the team on the allegation that she is transgender.

The policies against which conference teams are protesting can’t be changed at the conference level, Nevarez noted.

“Our policy is a reflection of the NCAA policy, and that’s a reflection of USA volleyball,” she said. “They’re all aligned. If there is a policy change to be made, it should be at the international and national level.”

Nevarez said she hasn’t spoken directly with any Mountain West volleyball players, but has been in touch with administrators at every school.

“We have concerns about, and an obligation to make sure they have a good experience,” she said. “As long as we can continue to execute our policies fairly and neutrally, that’s kind of our lane.”

The situation could reach a fever pitch when UNLV hosts the Mountain West tournament from Nov. 27 to 30 at Cox Pavilion.

Nevarez said the conference is “trying to get ahead of everything” by preparing for increased media attendance and beefing up security.

UNLV has said its team “voted unanimously” to play all of its scheduled matches, including against San Jose State.

The Rebels (10-7, 3-3) beat the Spartans (9-3, 4-3) on the road Saturday, 3-1. UNLV will host San Jose State on Nov. 7.

Contact Callie Fin at cfin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X