Utah State University has become the fourth college to protect their women’s volleyball team from playing against San Jose State University with a trans-identifying male on the women’s team.
On Wednesday, a statement from the school’s athletic department read, “Utah State University will not participate in its scheduled October 23, 2024, volleyball match at San Jose State University. The University will abide by Mountain West Conference policy regarding how this match is recorded.”
Former collegiate swimmer and advocate for women’s sports Riley Gaines praised the move by the school and wrote that it was the “fourth school to forfeit their match against SJSU due to a man playing on the women’s volleyball team. Major kudos to @USUAthletics THIS. IS. THE. WAY.”
A movement is in motion. It’s becoming increasingly clear that the NCAA has a decision to make. So far, the NCAA has prioritized inclusion over safety & fairness.
Will the @NCAA keep letting girls take matters into their own hands or will they step up & protect their athletes? https://t.co/21VHlX5YF5
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) October 3, 2024
“A movement is in motion,” she added in a second post. “It’s becoming increasingly clear that the NCAA has a decision to make. So far, the NCAA has prioritized inclusion over safety & fairness. Will the @NCAA keep letting girls take matters into their own hands or will they step up & protect their athletes?”
Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox wrote on X that he stood with “the students, coaches and leadership at @SUUtbirds and @USUAggies in their decision to forgo their women’s volleyball matches against San Jose State.”
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“It is essential that we preserve a space for women to compete fairly and safely,” he added. “Our female athletes are left grappling with this difficult issue because the NCAA has failed in its responsibility to protect female athletes and women’s sports. It’s time for the NCAA to take this seriously and protect our female student athletes.”
On Monday, the women’s volleyball team at the University of Wyoming became the third school to refuse to play against SJSU because of the California school’s trans-identifying male on the women’s team, as previously reported.
In a statement posted on X from Wyoming Cowgirl Volleyball, the team stated, “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 statement added. “The Cowgirls will host Fresno State on Thursday, Oct. 3 at 6:30 p.m. in the UniWyo Sports Complex.”
SJSU’s star volleyball player is a trans-identifying male who goes by the name of Blaire Fleming, OutKick’s David Hookstead previously reported.
On Friday, the Boise women’s volleyball team announced that it would forfeit its match over the weekend against SJSU, OutKick noted.
Related: Girls’ Soccer Team Refuses To Play Team With Biological Male, Following Similar Move By University