(NewsNation) — The University of Nevada in Reno said an upcoming women’s volleyball match will still be held despite the team’s players saying they would forfeit the match.
As Outkick.com first reported Monday, the Nevada volleyball team decided via player vote to forfeit the Oct. 23 game against the San Jose State Spartans following reports that the team has a transgender woman on its roster, redshirt junior Blaire Fleming.
“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 said in a statement provided to Outkick.
Hours later, the university acted in opposition to the “majority” of its women’s volleyball team, providing a statement to Outkick saying the game would go ahead.
“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 school said.
“The University and its athletic programs are governed by the Nevada Constitution and Nevada law, which strictly protect equality of rights under the law, and that equality of rights shall not be denied or abridged by this state or any of its subdivisions on account of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, ancestry or national origin.
“The University is also governed by federal law as well as the rules and regulations of the NCAA and the Mountain West Conference, which include providing competition in an inclusive and supportive environment.
“The University intends to move forward with the match as scheduled, and the players may choose not to participate in the match on the day of the contest. No players will be subject to any team disciplinary action for their decision not to participate in the match.”
Southern Utah was the first team to forfeit against San Jose State before its Sept. 14 match. Boise State, Wyoming and Utah State followed suit, surrendering their games on Sept. 28, Oct. 5 and 23, respectively.
The teams did not cite Fleming or any other reason for their forfeiture. Fleming has played in all 12 of San Jose State’s games this season and has been part of the Spartans’ squad for three seasons after one season at Coastal Carolina in 2020-21.
San Francisco, Saint-Mary’s, Fresno State, Colorado State, San Diego State, and Nevada Las Vegas have all played against the Spartans since Southern Utah’s decision. The Spartans’ next game is Thursday at New Mexico.
San Jose State team co-captain Brooke Slusser claimed the school tried to sweep “under the rug” the fact that Fleming is transgender after a report in April brought it to public consciousness. Slusser transferred to San Jose State in 2023 after playing two seasons at Alabama.
“When that first article came out, it was quite literally just a media meeting talking about, ‘Don’t make comments. If media people come up to you, it’s not your story to tell,'” Slusser told Outkick on Monday.
“And that was really it. It wasn’t, ‘How do we feel about this? Are we OK?’ It was how to handle the media and not make it look like there’s a problem, and almost just the feeling of just sweeping it under the rug, and that was really it.”
Slusser is among numerous female athletes suing the NCAA for alleged violations of Title IX by allowing transgender athletes to play on women’s teams. She supports the decision of teams to forfeit.
“There’s obviously a part of me that it’s sad because there’s only so many volleyball games you get in your career. On the other hand, I’d be doing the exact same thing,” she told Outkick the Morning on Monday.
“I fully support every school that is deciding to find the courage, take this stance and not play against us because those are the steps in the right direction of women standing up and finding that courage to say ‘No, this isn’t OK.'”
