Controversy Erupts in San Jose State Volleyball
The San Jose State Spartans volleyball team has found itself at the center of a national debate over transgender athletes in women’s sports. What began as a relatively quiet controversy has exploded into protests, lawsuits, and forfeited matches, thrusting the team into an unwanted spotlight.
The Spark That Ignited the Firestorm
The controversy surfaced in April 2024 when a website published an article claiming San Jose State had a transgender player on its roster1. Though the player has not publicly commented on her identity, her presence on the team has become a flashpoint in the ongoing debate about transgender participation in women’s sports.
Mounting Opposition
As the 2024 season began, opposition to the player’s participation grew:
- Multiple teams forfeited matches against San Jose State, including Boise State, Wyoming, Utah State, and Nevada1
- Brooke Slusser, a San Jose State co-captain, joined two lawsuits arguing her teammate should be ineligible1
- Riley Gaines, a former University of Kentucky swimmer, spoke at a rally supporting Nevada players who refused to compete against San Jose State1
Internal Turmoil
The controversy has created divisions within the San Jose State program:
- Coach Todd Kress has defended the player’s right to compete while acknowledging the damage to team dynamics1
- Associate head coach Melissa Batie-Smoose filed a Title IX complaint and joined a lawsuit seeking to have the team’s wins vacated1
- Some players have alleged collusion between the transgender player and opponents to retaliate against Slusser1.
Broader Implications
This case highlights the complex and contentious nature of transgender athlete participation policies:
- The NCAA changed its policy in 2022 to defer to individual sports’ national governing bodies1
- 25 states now have legislation restricting transgender women from women’s sports, up from 9 in 20211
- Scientists are still studying the effects of testosterone suppression on athleticperformance1
Looking Ahead
As the season continues, San Jose State finds itself navigating uncharted waters. The team has mostly continued to play and win, even as the controversy swirls around them. However, the long-term implications for transgender athletes in college sports remain uncertain as the debate rages on.