'Girls must compete against girls': Christian school forfeits state championships over male player on girls' volleyball team



A high school girls' volleyball team in California refused to play in a tournament match after learning their opponent has a male athlete on their team.

Stone Ridge Christian School was set to play San Francisco Waldorf in the California Interscholastic Federation State Girls Volleyball Championship playoffs. However, after learning the San Francisco team had a male player, the team has announced its intention to forfeit.

A copy of a school letter sent to parents, posted on X, revealed that the school was standing on its religious beliefs as the reason to not participate.

"As many of you know, our girls won on Wednesday and advanced to the state playoffs," the letter dated November 15 began. "Unfortunately, we were just informed that our opponent, San Francisco Waldorf, has a male athlete playing for their team."

"We believe God's Word is authoritative and infallible. It is Truth. And as Genesis makes clear, God wonderfully and immutably created each person as male or female," the letter continued.

"We do not believe sex is changeable and we do not intend to participate in events that send a different message," it added.

The message concluded by expressing a "duty and responsibility" for the safety of the students, expressing that standing on their beliefs "means more" than the game.

The school then asked recipients to congratulate the student-athletes.

'We will always stand for Biblical truth.'

The male student was identified by outlet Reduxx as Henry Hanlon, a senior who also plays on the Waldorf girls' basketball team.

Hanlon has likely sparked previous forfeits in basketball, particularly from the Islamic school Averroes High School, which declined to specify the reason for its forfeiture.

In a statement to Blaze News, Stone Ridge said it intends to stand for what the school believes is the truth.

"We will always stand for Biblical truth and what is right."

"Girls must compete against girls for fairness safety and truth," the school added.

Stone Ridge has a history of going against the grain in the ultra-liberal state of California. In 2021, it was one of three schools to receive a two-year playoff ban in high school football for playing while COVID-19 shutdowns were in effect.

Capital Christian, Ripon Christian, and Stone Ridge received bans, in addition to their teams and athletic departments being placed on probation.

Sac-Joaquin Section school district said at the time that while it "understood that the postponement of interscholastic athletics" was "frustrating," it expected all schools to follow the rules set forth by the governor's office.

Commissioner Michael Garrison called the shutdown a "public safety issue" and expressed disappointment that the schools did not follow directives.

Stone Ridge is reportedly seeking counsel for the volleyball debacle from Alliance Defending Freedom.

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NCAA volleyball players file lawsuit over male athlete on women's team after 'transgender participation policy' is revealed



Nearly a dozen NCAA athletes and one coach are suing the Mountain West Conference over alleged First Amendment violations that stem from a male athlete playing against women.

Officials at San Jose State University are also named in the lawsuit that alleges the female athletes were subject to a new "Transgender Participation Policy" that sought to "suppress the free speech rights of women athletes."

The lawsuit, backed by the Independent Council on Women's Sports, claims the defendants manipulated conference rules, "diminished sport opportunities for women," and used their position to punish dozens of female college athletes for taking a stand against having to compete against men in their sport.

That athlete is SJSU's transgender player, Blaire Fleming. Born Brayden, Fleming is a 6'1'' male whose inclusion on the team has sparked five separate forfeits from opposing teams

According to the provided Transgender Participation Policy, the decision whether to allow a "transgender athlete" to participate in intercollegiate athletics is at the discretion of each school, determined by its own "interaction with the individual [and] the application of state law."

— (@)

Shockingly, the policy states that the NCAA will "not entertain inquiries or challenges regarding the eligibility of transgender student-athletes." Schools are also not required to provide information to their opponents about whether or not there is a transgender athlete on their team.

"It shall be the discretion of the certifying institution whether or not to provide pertinent information," the policy states.

Plaintiffs in the lawsuit include three women from the University of Wyoming, two from Boise State, and two from University of Nevada Reno.

Nevada's Sia Liilii previously spoke to Blaze News, simply stating that she and her teammates got together and decided what was happening "isn't right."

Brooke Slusser (left) lines up alongside transgender athlete Blaire Fleming (right).Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images

'I will do everything to protect this opportunity for other girls and women.'

Two of Fleming's own teammates from SJSU have joined the lawsuit, along with the Associate Head Coach of Women’s Volleyball Melissa Batie-Smoose.

The coach was recently suspended after speaking out on the issue and even alleged that Fleming had conspired against his own teammate (Brooke Slusser, also named in the lawsuit) with an opponent to try to injure her.

Utah State captain Kaylie Ray, another plaintiff, called for more support from the Mountain West Conference and NCAA.

"We need leaders in the Mountain West and NCAA to step up. Being a woman in sports has shaped my life, and I will do everything to protect this opportunity for other girls and women."

San Jose State University and its staff have not returned requests for comments on the situation, nor have they been willing to address any claims made by the student-athletes or coach.

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Nevada athletics director denies pressuring female volleyball players to 'stay quiet' and play against a man



The director of athletics at the University of Nevada has denied shocking allegations that she told female athletes at her school that a man was actually the athlete with a disadvantage when playing against women.

After the Nevada women's volleyball team made a very public forfeit against San Jose State University — the fifth team to do so — the group of women held a press conference to explain their decision.

The primary reason: SJSU has a 6'1" male — Blaire Fleming, born Brayden — on its roster.

'We were told we weren't educated enough.'

During their press conference, the Nevada players were led by captain Sia Liilii, who claimed that when the team spoke to school administrators, the officials refused to even listen to their statements:

"We were told we weren't educated enough, and we didn't understand the science," Liilii said.

Furthermore, Liilii told OutKick that Nevada athletic director Stephanie Rempe told the girls that it was actually Fleming who is "at a disadvantage" when competing against women due to being on testosterone blockers and estrogen supplements.

"She told us that it's harder for [Fleming] to play against [women] than it is for [women] to play against a male athlete," the team captain continued.

"[Rempe] went on to say that we would be liable for a lawsuit because we would be taking an opportunity away from San Jose State to play a game," Liilii added. "But, before [Rempe] said that, [Rempe said], 'I don't mean this as a threat or anything.'"

In an email to Blaze News, Rempe firmly denied the accusations made against her and said her interactions with her volleyball team lasted less than a total of 10 minutes:

The deputy athletics director and I met with the volleyball team and coaching staff on October 7, where every member of the team had an opportunity to share their feelings about the situation, ask questions, give their input on next steps and we provided the opportunity for resources.

I did not tell, and am unaware of any member of the athletics administrative team telling, members of our women’s volleyball team that they 'weren't educated enough,' that they 'didn't understand the science,' that they should reconsider their position or that they should 'stay quiet' regarding their participation in an Oct. 26 match that was scheduled against San Jose State University.

On October 14 and October 22, I spoke with the team for less than five minutes each time and those gatherings were operational in nature. At all three meetings, I shared our genuine apology for not sharing the statement released on October 3 in advance of their match against UNLV. As has been stated on multiple occasions, we continue to support the rights of the volleyball players who choose and choose not to participate.

The focus of our athletic department has always been on the well-being and success of our student-athletes, including their ability to learn and grow from their personal and competitive experiences at our University. This remains our overriding priority regarding all the members of our women’s volleyball team.

Blaze News also asked Rempe whether or not she believes that men or "transgender women" should be able to compete in the female category of NCAA athletics.

This article will be updated should be there be an applicable response from the university.

— (@)

Fleming's inclusion in women's volleyball has caused so much controversy in the Mountain West Conference that Boise State, Utah State, Wyoming, and now Nevada have forfeited matches. Southern Utah, which is in the Western Athletic Conference, also forfeited.

Fleming's teammate Brooke Slusser spoke to Blaze News about the unfair advantage the male athlete has and the reason teams are forfeiting against SJSU.

"I think we all know the reason the games are canceled," Slusser said.

At the same time, Nevada's Liilii has stated that while her team allegedly felt pressure to play against the male, they couldn't hold their true feelings inside.

"You could feel the fake energy because we were all trying to band together and ... just put this on the shelf and not think about it for a week," she recalled. "But honestly, as a woman, I don't know how to shut anything down."

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Nevada women's volleyball captain sheds tears as team forfeits against opponent with male player: 'Not what we signed up for'



Nevada women's volleyball captain Sia Liilii delivered emotional remarks as her team officially forfeited a game against San Jose State University, which has a male on its women's team.

Nevada players had announced their intention to forfeit weeks prior to their game against SJSU, which has a 6'1" male — Blaire Fleming, born Brayden — on its roster.

'This is what bravery looks like, this is what leadership looks like.'

However, University of Nevada officials rejected the players' vote and said the game would go on as scheduled in accordance with NCAA rules and state laws surrounding gender inclusion.

Last week, the match was moved from Nevada to SJSU "in the best interest of both programs and the well-being of the student-athletes, coaches, athletic staff and spectators," a statement read.

Andrew Wevers/Getty Images

As reported by Outkick, it wasn't until the day before the match — scheduled for this past Saturday — that Nevada officials finally announced a forfeit.

"Due to not having enough players to compete, the University of Nevada women's volleyball team will not play its scheduled Mountain West Conference match at San José State," the school reportedly said in a statement.

Nevada players held a news conference at game time Saturday with the support of the Independent Council on Women’s Sports as well as former NCAA athlete Riley Gaines.

Image source: Independent Council on Women’s Sports video screenshot, used by permission

You can view video of the news conference here. Gaines begins speaking after the 9:30 mark; Liilii begins speaking after the 19-minute mark.

At least nine members of the Nevada team stood on stage during the presser, all wearing shirts that read "BOYcott."

"This is what bravery looks like, this is what leadership looks like," Gaines stated before introducing Liilii. "Certainly more bravery and leadership than the people who are supposed to be protecting them have shown."

Liilii received a standing ovation upon taking the podium, bringing the senior to tears as she prepared to deliver her remarks.

"I never expected to be blindsided ... having to compete against a male athlete," the Hawaiian student began. "When the news broke, I was stunned, as many of my teammates were. This is not what we signed up for."

'We were told we weren't educated enough, and we didn't understand the science.'

In addition to Nevada, four other schools have forfeited against SJSU, however, none have given specific reasons as to why they were doing so. This, despite Fleming's own teammate saying, "We all know the reason."

The Nevada team captain addressed this head on, saying that the "the vague messages" from other schools weren't "directly addressing the injustice" the women were facing in their sport.

She added that her school even made its decision without consulting its own players, the ones who were directly in danger: "We were not consulted, we were not given a voice, and we did not agree."

Shockingly, the athlete revealed that when the team spoke to school administrators, the officials refused to even listen to their statements: "We were told we weren't educated enough, and we didn't understand the science." With that, the crowd in attendance loudly booed.

Blaze News on Monday reached out to the school for comment on Liilii's aforementioned assertion but didn't immediately hear back.

Liilii explained that she and her teammates did not expect to have to "fight for basic fairness" and that they do indeed understand the difference between a male and a female athlete.

She went on to ask the NCAA an open question: "How many young women will have to be beaten, or see their friends get beaten out of an opportunity by a male, before enough is enough?"

Liilii concluded, "Men do not belong in women's sports. If you were born a male, you do not belong in women's sports."

Nevada on Tuesday is scheduled to play Utah State before returning home to play Boise State on Nov. 2; both Utah State and Boise State teams also forfeited matches against SJSU.

On SJSU's schedule, the team lists the forfeited matches as "no contest."

On Nevada's schedule, however, the loss reads "forfeit."

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NCAA exec seems to plead ignorance about trans athletes on women's teams, says she doesn't know much of 'the science' yet



NCAA Mountain West Conference commissioner Gloria Nevarez said she isn't familiar with the language or the science surrounding issues and problems with a transgender athlete playing on a women's team in her conference.

San Jose State University has garnered international attention because the school's women's volleyball team features a 6'1" male athlete named Blaire Fleming, born Brayden.

'We have an election year. It's political, so yeah, it feels like a no-win ...'

Four teams have issued forfeitures since the controversy began: Boise State, Southern Utah, Utah State, and Wyoming. The ladies at Nevada have also declared they do not wish to play Fleming, but school administrators decided the game would go on.

Nevarez said in a recent press conference that the situation breaks her heart because "they're human beings, young people, student athletes on both sides of this issue that are getting a lot of national negative attention."

"It just doesn't feel right to me," she continued, according to the Associated Press.

The MWC commissioner then explained she isn't very educated on the topic — presumably men playing in women's sports — and said she isn't sure about the "language" or the "science" surrounding the issue.

"I'm learning a lot about the issue. ... I don't know a lot of the language yet or the science or the understanding nationally of how this issue plays out," Nevarez said. "The external influences are so far on either side. We have an election year. It's political, so yeah, it feels like a no-win based on all the external pressure."

Nevarez did not appear to directly address the root of the problem and avoided referring to the player, Fleming, as a male or female: "The student athlete [in question] meets the eligibility standard, so if a team does not play them, it's a forfeit, meaning they take a loss."

SJSU coach Todd Kress has displayed a similar attitude, addressing the fact that his players are receiving hate messages without explaining why: "I know that it's definitely taken a toll on many of them. They're receiving messages of hate, which is completely ridiculous to me."

Kress added that "when we had our first forfeit, there was a lot of heartbreak. And now, we've kind of, not come to expect it, but we know the certain programs that may forfeit. It still does hurt our student athletes when we don't play a match, but I think they've come to accept it a little more, and I think that's a very unfortunate thing to say."

What Kress seems not to address is that allegedly most of his female volleyball players are against having a male on their team — and are receiving hate for speaking out against his presence.

One SJSU player, Brooke Slusser, spoke to Blaze News and said everyone involved knows exactly the reason why opposing teams have forfeited games.

She added that the school has largely ignored the feelings of the female athletes and has instead focused on the male athlete and whether he's comfortable playing among the women.

"What I'm going through ... is something, to my bones, I don't agree with. It's not right," Slusser said.

Nevada's captain, Sia Liilii, has echoed the same sentiments.

She told Blaze News that her school hasn't supported the team and spoke about administrators ignoring her team's vote to forfeit: "Unfortunately our university decided not to back us, and they decided they're going to have the match as scheduled."

Liilii added that "the vast majority of us decided that this isn't right, [and] we need to protect women's sports, and we're going to forfeit."

It appears as though many coaches and administrators continue to ignore the elephant in the room and have shown no signs of going against state or NCAA rules.

A group of women including attorneys and former athletes recently met with the United Nations to plead for international governing bodies to disqualify men from playing in women's sports.

One of the representatives declared that women's achievements that have been affected by male participation in sports can "no longer be ignored."

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Exclusive: Nevada women's volleyball captain doubles down on team's refusal to play transgender opponent



The captain of the University of Nevada women's volleyball team told Blaze News in an exclusive interview that she's disappointed her school decided not to support the team's decision to forfeit a game against a squad with a transgender player.

"Unfortunately our university decided not to back us, and they decided they're going to have the match as scheduled," Nevada Wolf Pack captain Sia Liilii said.

'No student athlete should ever be pressured to play a game where they don’t feel safe — period.'

As Blaze News previously reported, San Jose State University's women's volleyball team features a 6'1" male athlete named Blaire Fleming, born Brayden.

Fleming's presence on the SJSU squad has been the unofficial reason behind four forfeitures by teams at Boise State, Southern Utah, Utah State, and Wyoming.

Even Fleming's own teammate has spoken out about the unfair advantage the male athlete has over female players.

Nevada was next in line to withdraw from a match against SJSU after the Wolf Pack players released a statement announcing their refusal to participate in a match that would jeopardize their safety.

However, school officials decided to override the will of the players and declare that the match against SJSU would proceed as scheduled.

The University of Nevada claimed the players made their decision and statement "independently" and "without consultation with the University or the athletic department."

However, Liilii said she and her teammates tried to go through the proper channels and inform school administrators how they felt, but the university still decided to push forward with the scheduled match.

"The vast majority of us decided that this isn't right, [that] we need to protect women's sports, and we're going to forfeit," the team captain explained.

She added, "To know that the university didn't acknowledge the fact that we're the team that is going to play against [Fleming] was really frustrating, and the way they went about it was not OK."

Liilii said administrators later scheduled a meeting with the team to apologize and let players know the school would not be punishing them if they choose to sit out against SJSU on Oct. 26.

When asked about the contradiction between the school not punishing players while publicly refusing to back their decision to forfeit, Liilii told Blaze News she felt the school was finding a way to distance itself from the players' stance while still following state and NCAA rules surrounding gender diversity.

But Liilii added that she's received a lot of support, particularly from politicians such as Tulsi Gabbard and U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), both of whom recently attended a Nevada women's volleyball game.

"Thank you Sam Brown, Tulsi Gabbard, and Mark Wayne Mullin [sic] for showing your support at our match against Utah State tonight!" Liilii wrote on X.

— (@)

"Although our university hasn't supported us in this decision, our governor ... [Joe] Lombardo came out with a statement which was really reassuring, too," LiiLiii noted.

Lombardo issued a statement on X about the ordeal, saying in part, "No student athlete should ever be pressured to play a game where they don’t feel safe — period."

"I wholeheartedly respect the decision of the players," the governor added.

— (@)

"We do have people behind us that are supporting us, and that is really important," Liilii said.

The Nevada captain added that she hopes she will soon "see the light at the end of the tunnel" regarding this controversy.

Regarding whether or not the Nevada volleyball players will protest, participate, or sit out during the SJSU match, Liilii said, "you'll just have to see."

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ESPN blacks out volleyball ‘cis rights movement’ to protect Kamala Harris



The “BOYcott” will not be televised. Not on ESPN anyway.

As it relates to a growing list of women’s volleyball teams refusing to compete against a team led by a man, the “Worldwide Leader in Sports” is channeling its inner Gil Scott-Heron.

Scott-Heron, a 1970s jazz poet, famously stated over conga drums that “the revolution will not be televised.” Scott-Heron’s song referred to an overthrow of the government and the so-called liberation of black Americans.

You will not be able to stay home, brother
You will not be able to plug in, turn on, and cop out
You will not be able to lose yourself on skag and
Skip out for beer during commercials
Because the revolution will not be televised ...

On Monday, a fifth collegiate volleyball team — the University of Nevada, Reno — announced its intention to forfeit a match against San Jose State University, a Division I member of the Mountain West Conference. The Spartans’ best player is a young man, Brayden Fleming, who changed his name to Blaire. He played the previous two years on the San Jose State team while the university concealed his biological sex.

In March, one of his teammates, Brooke Slusser, joined a lawsuit suing the NCAA for violating Title IX by allowing biological men to compete against women. Slusser, at one point, was one of Fleming’s roommates.

“It was a really hard pill to swallow, because I couldn’t comprehend the fact that there was a man on the team, and it was almost as if I was in denial for a really long time that this was happening,” Slusser told OutKick.com in an exclusive interview. “So it was just really hard for me to wrap my head around. And then, it still being a topic we weren’t really allowed to talk about. It was just kind of whispers behind closed doors that this is what’s happening, but no one’s really talked about it or addressed it.”

This is an amazing moment. Teammates are pitted against each other. Universities are pitted against their athletes.

Slusser’s experience sounds exactly like what’s going on at ESPN, a mature media institution born in 1979. Slusser is a child. She’s supposed to be confused and wishy-washy. A genuine worldwide leader would be exploring this controversial topic and providing Slusser and others the information and insight to make an informed decision on gender identity.

Forty-five-year-old ESPN is a scared child. Disney won’t allow its broadcasters to address the most important issue in all of sports. I’m sure they whisper about it behind closed doors.

But in front of cameras, Stephen A. Smith, Pat McAfee, Ryan Clark, Shannon Sharpe, and all the other talking heads are silent. It’s quite the contrast, the difference between how ESPN handles racial conflict and gender conflict.

Two years ago, a black Duke volleyball player claimed a BYU fan called her a racial slur during a match. Smith and Sharpe launched loud, on-camera defenses of Rachel Richardson. Dawn Staley, the head basketball coach at South Carolina, canceled a basketball game at BYU, claiming her players wouldn’t feel safe. ESPN.com ran several front-page stories about the incident and Staley’s reaction.

BYU conducted an extensive investigation, trying to identify the alleged perpetrator. The investigation concluded the alleged verbal attack did not happen. The allegation never made sense. A group of college kids in a closed environment shouting the “N-word” with smartphones everywhere? Come on.

But here is something real, important, and traumatic happening in the world of volleyball and sports. ESPN has nothing to say.

Nevada, Southern Utah, Boise State, Wyoming, and Utah State have all announced they won’t play against “Blaire” Fleming and San Jose State. Hours after the Nevada team made its announcement, the administration at the school contradicted the young women on its team.

“The players’ decision and statement were made independently, and without consultation with the University or athletic department. The players’ decision also does not represent the position of the University,” the administration said in a statement.

The statement concluded: “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 disciplinary action for their decision not to participate in the match.”

This is an amazing moment, an incredible story highlighting a consequential inflection point in this nation’s history and culture. Teammates are pitted against each other. Universities are pitted against their athletes.

Is gender a state of mind or a state of body?

The answer is obvious. The confusion is a byproduct of a lack of public debate. It’s not debated because the people who prefer “state of mind” realize they would be slaughtered in public debate. Their public silence and not-so-private bullying have sparked an un-televised revolution.

I call it the "cis rights movement." It’s led by former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines. She publicly complained three years ago when William “Lia” Thomas invaded women’s swimming and stole an NCAA medal from a woman. Gaines is the Rosa Parks for female athletes. Her courage has spawned the courage we’re seeing from volleyball players at Nevada, Wyoming, Boise State, Southern Utah, and Utah State.

This week, the women at Utah State started wearing “BOYcott” T-shirts. They want boys out of their locker rooms and out of their sports. They understand that women excel in athletic competition when they’re left to compete among themselves.

That’s a message progressives don’t want to spread. Leftists believe in androgyny. They believe men and women are the same. They reject the word of God written in the book of Genesis. They reject common sense.

Defending their positions publicly would expose their hostility to God and common sense.

Disney and ESPN will not televise this revolution — especially not in an election year when the Democratic nominee hails from San Francisco, parties with drag queens, and believes children should be surgically castrated on demand.

Wyoming becomes latest school to refuse to play against women's volleyball team that has male player



San Jose State University's women's volleyball schedule continues to get shorter as yet another team has opted not to play against the SJSU team.

The University of Wyoming is the latest school to take a forfeit loss against SJSU, and while no specific reasons have been given by any program, Wyoming is the third school to do so since it became public that SJSU has a male player on its team.

The SJSU team has a 6'1" male athlete named Blaire Fleming, born Brayden, and is having the best season in program history. The team is off to a 9-0 start overall, 2-0 in the Mountain West Conference.

The Wyoming Cowgirls join Boise State and Southern Utah as schools that have decided to take a loss rather than play against the team with the obvious advantage.

'It is important we stand for integrity and fairness in female athletics.'

"After a lengthy discussion, the University of Wyoming will not play its scheduled conference match against San José State University," the team said in a statement. "Per Mountain West Conference policy, the Conference will record the match as a forfeit and a loss for Wyoming."

The news is an about-face in the school's stance. Just a week ago, it was reported that Wyoming would indeed play SJSU.

Though the schools have not given an official reason for their forfeits, Fleming's own teammate even said the reasons were obvious.

"I think we all know the reason the games are canceled," senior SJSU player Brooke Slusser told Blaze News.

Slusser said that she fully supports the decisions of the other teams not to play her squad, adding, "If I was in their shoes, I'd probably do the same thing."

Wyoming's governor, Mark Gordon, also said he supports the school's decision to forfeit the match.

"It is important we stand for integrity and fairness in female athletics," the governor wrote on X.

— (@)

Following Wyoming's forfeit, SJSU provided a statement to OutKick about the situation:

"It is disappointing that our SJSU student athletes, who are in full compliance with NCAA and Mountain West rules and regulations, are being denied opportunities to compete," the school said via email.

SJSU added that the school is committed to supporting its athletes and is dedicated to providing an "inclusive, fair, safe and respectful environment."

However, according to Slusser, the school has not been very supportive of its female volleyball players and instead has kept its focus on its only transgender player.

"We've had meetings, and it's a lot of just checking in on Blaire. ... We were like 'what about us?'" Slusser said. "It's mostly just saying you can't be the person to ... identify Blaire's gender identity. 'Blaire needs to do that for himself.'"

Slusser then explained, "Everyone above you is telling you you shouldn't be talking for Blaire, you need to make sure the other person is okay; and [the management] is not thinking about, 'Are we okay?'"

Slusser has joined a lawsuit that asks the NCAA to stop allowing male athletes to compete against females and to keep them out of female locker rooms. The lawsuit stems from women's aquatic competitions that included Lia Thomas, the "trans woman" who dominated the 2022 NCAA swimming championships.

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Exclusive: 'We all know the reason the games are canceled': SJSU volleyball player speaks out against transgender teammate



NCAA volleyball player Brook Slusser said she doesn't agree with having a male athlete on her team and knows it's not right.

Controversy has swirled at San Jose State University since it was revealed that the undefeated team features a 6-foot-1-inch male player named Blaire Fleming, born Brayden.

In response to this situation, Slusser has joined a lawsuit against the NCAA that asks the collegiate body to stop allowing male athletes to compete against females and to keep them out of female locker rooms. The lawsuit stems from women's aquatic competitions that included Lia Thomas, the "trans woman" who dominated the 2022 NCAA swimming championships.

In an exclusive interview with Blaze News, Slusser explained that she had "no idea" that she would be playing with a male when she transferred to San Jose State University from Alabama last year.

While Slusser noticed during her first practice at SJSU that there was "something different" about Fleming, she never imagined that there would be a man on the team.

"The way I was raised, I've never had to second-guess if someone is male or female," the Texan said. "The power [of Blaire] was just something that I'd never seen before."

"I was like, 'That's insane, but okay,'" she laughed.

Slusser said she wasn't going to ask questions about why Fleming was hitting so hard because, at that point, there was no reason for her to believe there was a male on the team.

Rooming with a man

When she got to SJSU, Slusser said her coach told her there were "three girls on the team that are looking for a roommate."

"That would be amazing," Slusser recalled thinking, not knowing that one of those alleged girls was Fleming. The senior saw it as an opportunity to get to know her teammates while living off campus in an apartment. She jumped at the chance for the experience.

After rooming with Fleming on road trips, Slusser became suspicious as to why she was routinely being roomed with him despite her teammates rotating with other people. She later found out that Fleming was asked specifically whom he "felt comfortable" to room with and that Slusser was one of those people.

This was just one instance in which the male athlete's feelings seemed to be placed over the rest of the team.

"I found it very odd that everyone else was getting switched around on away trips and I somehow kept getting roomed with the same person. Usually you get switched around ... and I just kept getting roomed with [Fleming]."

After two months at SJSU, Slusser said she found out that Fleming is a man, at which point everything started to make sense.

However, staff at SJSU have seemed completely disinterested in how the majority of the women's team feel about the situation and instead have chosen to focus on Fleming's well-being.

"We've had meetings, and it's a lot of just checking in on Blaire. ... We were like 'what about us?'" Slusser said. "It's mostly just saying you can't be the person to ... identify Blaire's gender identity. 'Blaire needs to do that for himself,'" the girls are told.

Slusser said the most frustrating aspect of the ordeal is that team management knows how much this bothers the female players and that for seniors, their last chances to play volleyball at a high level are being whittled away.

"Everyone above you is telling you you shouldn't be talking for Blaire, you need to make sure the other person is okay; and [the management] is not thinking about, 'Are we okay?'" Slusser explained.

When asked whether Fleming is in the locker room with the women and if it's uncomfortable, Slusser simply said, "Everyone's in the locker room."

"So ... that's that. It's a team locker room," Slusser said with a look of disappointment.

'I fully support Boise State's decision not to play us. If I was in their shoes, I'd probably do the same thing.'

Canceled games

Two teams have already pulled out of games against SJSU: Southern Utah and Boise State. Neither team has provided a specific reason for the forfeits, but Slusser said the reason is obvious.

"I think we all know the reason the games are canceled," Slusser said. "I fully support Boise State's decision not to play us. If I was in their shoes, I'd probably do the same thing."

Nevada, which plays SJSU on October 26, is another team that could potentially back out as well.

The mother of Nevada's Carissa Chainey recently gave an interview to the Daily Signal and remarked that she is "scared for every single player" who plays against Fleming, due to the higher risk of injury.

Slusser said her own family has been about as supportive as possible, adding that she couldn't ask for better parents.

"My parents know this lawsuit is a lot bigger than just me," Slusser said. "This is a way I can use my voice."

"What I'm going through ... is something, to my bones, I don't agree with. It's not right."

Slusser concluded by saying that joining the lawsuit wasn't a difficult choice for her in the end, as she has felt the need to speak out on others' behalf for most of her life.

The college athlete strongly asserted that she wants to help make sure younger female athletes don't have to go through the same thing.

"Right now it's just about showing up to be the best you can for the team," she added.

Slusser hopes other athletes will join the lawsuit. "You might be surprised."

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With a male player, San Jose State University women's volleyball is having its best season ever



The women's volleyball team at San Jose State University remained undefeated and is now 6-0 following its latest victory.

The team is off to its best start in program history, according to OutKick, and continued its hot streak with a 3-2 win over fellow NCAA Division I Santa Clara.

The team is led by biological male Blaire Fleming, who is listed on the team website at 6'1''.

However, for the first time this season, Fleming was not included in the match's postgame recap:

"Three Spartans recorded double-doubles and the Spartans recorded a season-best 18 blocks as the San José State volleyball team stayed undefeated on the season with a 3-2 (25-13, 23-25, 21-25, 25-18, 15-11) win at Santa Clara Sunday inside the Leavey Center," the recap read.

The recap noted that players Nayeli Ti'a and Brooke Slusser recorded double-doubles in the game but didn't mention that the transgender athlete was the other player to do so.

'Fleming might just be the most impressive athlete on the floor.'

SJSU disabled comments on its X post celebrating the victory, which featured a highlights package from the match. The video did not show any clips of No. 3 Fleming.

Another clip from the game featured commentary from an announcer who noted that "Fleming might just be the most impressive athlete on the floor."

It has been known for months that SJSU has had the unfair advantage, but Fleming's identity had previously flown under the radar. An April 2024 report from Reduxx revealed Fleming was allegedly born as Brayden, and his biological sex was being withheld from his teammates and opponents.

The mother of an opposing player spoke to the outlet and said that her daughter had heard rumors of SJSU using a male player.

"I first watched my daughter play Blaire via live stream and then in person for a second match," the mother said. "My daughter mentioned to me before the second match that there were rumors about Blaire being a male."

When attending a game in-person, the mother said she could immediately tell that Fleming was male, both in appearance and the way he played.

"He jumped higher and hit harder than any woman on the court. There was no other female athlete on the court that day that could compare with Blaire's athleticism. He also had very narrow hips. I took notice of how he was dressed with a longer shirt in the front as well."

The parent also claimed that her daughter suffered far more physical strains during that match and that her teammates were struggling to deal with the velocity of Fleming's strikes.

It should also be noted that there is an obvious advantage for male players in the female version of the sport; the men's net in college volleyball is 7'11", while the women's net is 7'4".

The ladies from Southern Utah were recently slated to play against SJSU, however, reports surfaced that the team told tournament officials they did not want to play against the undefeated team.

It was not confirmed if Fleming was the reason for the cancellation, though.

Women's volleyball has been ripe with transgender controversy in places like California, Florida, and even Canada where five male athletes played in a single women's college game.

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