Participation by a SJSU transgender athlete will result in the opponent's forfeiture

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA. – A brewing controversy surrounding San Jose State University's women's volleyball team has stoked fears on both sides of the cultural and political divide.

Some said recent game cancellations by opponents amounted to attacks on trans athletes, but others complain that the legitimacy of women's sports is being targeted by unwanted changes.

Spartan volleyball is undefeated so far this season, but is also under scrutiny. A teammate reported that redshirt junior Blaire Fleming is transgender.

“A school that has never started a season 7-0 is now 7-0. Yes, that raised some eyebrows,” said Dan Zaksheske, a sports reporter at OutKick.com

It has also led to a number of confiscations in recent weeks. Wyoming is the latest school to decline to play SJSU. Southern Utah and Boise State preceded this decision.

The school management did not give a reason.

Last week, amid a flood of supporters in the capital city of Boise, Gov. Brad Little (R) of Idaho signed an executive order banning Boise State University from playing against trans athletes.

“We must ensure the player safety of all our female athletes and continue the fight for fairness,” he posted on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, on Friday.

“There is so much negativity towards trans people and the LGBTQ community. I think there are 500 laws against us across the country,” said Gabrielle Antolovich, board president of the Billy DeFrank LGBTQ+ Community Center.

She and other trans activists and supporters said the game cancellations amounted to an attack on equality.

“Title IX is a protection for women. And trans women are part of that protection,” Antolovich said.

Fleming's teammate and team captain, Brooke Slusser, joined a lawsuit filed earlier this year against the NCAA over Title IX's inclusion of transgender athletes in college sports.

“When she joined the team, she initially had no idea that Blaire was a transgender woman (assigned male at birth). In fact, Brooke was asked to stay with Blaire,” Zaksheske said.

San Jose State University declined a request for an on-camera interview.

Officials instead emailed a statement to KTVU that said, in part: “It is disappointing that our SJSU student-athletes … are being denied participation in competitions. We are committed to supporting our student-athletes through these challenges.”

KTVU reached out to both Fleming and Slusser but did not receive a response.

The Spartans are scheduled to play Colorado State University on Thursday in Colorado Springs, Colo. This game is not lost yet.

Jesse Gary is a reporter in the South Bay bureau. Follow him on Instagram, @jessegontv and on Facebook, @JesseKTVU