Controversy on the Court

 Controversy on the Court

    In the game of volleyball, communication is key. However, it is increasingly apparent that it takes more than that to have a successful team environment. This is clear with the San Jose State University (SJSU) women's volleyball team, where controversy over a transgender athlete has sparked forfeits, tensions, and lawsuits.

    Since the beginning of the 2024 season, the SJSU team has endured on-and-off-the-court criticism for allowing a male-to-female athlete named Blaire Fleming to play for the team. Although Fleming is in her third season playing for SJSU, the fact that she is transgender recently became a topic of conversation around April.

    After discovering this information, five teams have forfeited against the team in retaliation for the NCAA allowing Fleming to play. These schools include the University of Nevada, Reno as well as Southern Utah University, Boise State University, University of Wyoming, and Utah State University.

    In two of these instances, SJSU requested $1,250 from the schools. Because Boise State and Utah State were both supposed to be home games, the school claims that they lost revenue they would have otherwise gained from things such as concessions and parking. 

    Boise State told Outkick they did not pay, and Utah State did not respond.

    Previously in 2020, Fleming played one semester at Coastal Carolina University in South Carolina. On May 16, 2022, Governor Henry McMaster signed a bill into law banning transgender athletes from playing on teams inconsistent with their gender at birth from elementary school into college, according to ESPN.

    When playing for SJSU, the fact that Fleming is transgender went under the radar for the first two years. Upon finding out that she was born male, the university discouraged the players from speaking about the issue. Some argue that they should be taking into account Fleming's feelings and mental health when speaking about her transition. Others believe that the situation affects everyone, so it needs to be spoken about.

    However, starting setter and one of Fleming's old roommates Brooke Slusser has publicly denounced the NCAA for allowing Fleming to play. She joined as a plaintiff in the Independent Council on Women's Sports lawsuit against the NCAA for violating Title IV. Riley Gaines, a political activist for banning transgender athletes is also part of this suit. She is known for speaking out against transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in the past.

    Slusser argues that it is neither "safe or fair" for Fleming to be able to compete against cisgender women, according to Outkick. She describes Fleming as hitting the ball harder than any woman she has ever played against. In fact, there have been recent viral videos of Fleming hitting opposing players in the head with balls up to 80 miles per hour. She also describes being uncomfortable with the fact that she was sharing a room with Fleming while unaware of her transition.

    While this lawsuit is going on, Fleming and Slusser are still teammates, which Slusser has stated is awkward. However, she strongly believes in her cause.

    Along with the increase in publicity, the need for team security is also apparent. The team now has police security due to concerns over their safety.

   In addition to Slusser, the newest advocate for a transgender ban within the volleyball team is associate head volleyball coach Melissa Batie-Smoose. Earlier this week, Batie-Smoose filed a Title IX complaint against the NCAA. Since this incident, SJSU has suspended the coach. This suspension was due to "breaches of student and employee privacy," according to Outkick.

    Part of this complaint accused Fleming of working with Colorado State player Malaya Jones to help the SJSU volleyball team lose and injure setter Brooke Slusser, according to Quilette. She claims that Fleming and Jones went against team policies to meet up the night before playing to develop a plan to make it possible for Jones to hit the ball toward Slusser.

    Colorado State did not respond to a request to comment from Outkick.

    Amid these tensions within the volleyball community, it is important to think about the mental well-being of all of the athletes. However, their physical safety should also be a top priority. 

    In the future, it will be interesting to see the steps that the NCAA takes to deal with the backlash from allowing transgender athletes.