UNR officials, volleyball players spar over transgender issue

UNR would be the fifth women’s volleyball team to forfeit a match to San Jose State in the wake of rising tensions surrounding the participation of transgender women in collegiate sports, but the university said it still plans to “move forward with the match as scheduled.”

A “majority” of UNR players gave the university notice Sunday that they intend not to play against the Spartans, the school said in a statement released Monday. The Wolf Pack are scheduled to host San Jose State on Oct. 26.

UNR released a statement Oct. 3 saying the program planned to play the match despite forfeitures from Mountain West teams Utah State, Boise State and Wyoming. Southern Utah also forfeited a match against the Spartans.

In disaccord with the university’s initial statement, UNR players provided comment to conservative sports site OutKick on Monday morning announcing their forfeiture to San Jose State.

“We, the University of Nevada Reno women’s volleyball team, forfeit against San Jose State University and stand united in solidarity with the volleyball teams of Southern Utah University, Boise State University, the University of Wyoming and Utah State University,” the team wrote.

“We demand that our right to safety and fair competition on the court be upheld. We refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes.”

UNR’s Monday statement expressed disagreement with the team.

“The players’ decision and statement were made independently and without consultation with the university or the athletic department. The players’ decision also does not represent the position of the university,” the university said.

The university cited the Nevada constitution, Nevada law, federal law and the NCAA’s rules and their protection of “equality of rights” to support its move to continue with the match against San Jose State.

“The players may choose not to participate in the match on the day of the contest,” the university said Monday. “No players will be subject to any team disciplinary action for their decision not to participate in the match.”

Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony praised the team’s decision, posting on X: “The University of Nevada women’s volleyball team has my full support and admiration for their courageous decision.”

The latest development comes after UNLV said its volleyball team “voted unanimously” to play all of its scheduled matches this season, including against San Jose State.

The Rebels beat the Spartans 3-1 on the road Saturday, the team’s third straight loss. UNLV will host San Jose State on Nov. 7.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Saturday’s match between UNLV and San Jose State was attended by members of an organization called Women Are Real, who held up banners that read “Protect Female Sports” and another with a heart around Slusser’s name and her number 10.

The members reportedly directed verbal obscenities and inappropriate gestures at reporters. Some wore caps that said “Make Women Real Again” in the style of former President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” merchandise.

The Spartans (9-3) have not won since a victory over Fresno State on Sept. 24, the same day it was announced that 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. Slusser claims she roomed with Fleming for road trips in 2023 and was never informed about Fleming’s gender identity until she overheard someone call her a “dude.”

Fleming, a 6-foot-1-inch outside hitter, is in her third season with San Jose State. Fleming and the school have never spoken publicly about her gender identity. The NCAA revised its policies to match “transgender student-athlete participation with the Olympic Movement” in 2022.

San Jose State released a statement Monday that read:

“SJSU student athletes are in full compliance with NCAA and Mountain West rules and regulations. We remain committed to supporting all of our student athletes — including their mental health and physical safety, both on and off the court — during this challenging time. We continue to work to ensure their ability to participate in an inclusive, fair and respectful environment.”

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