LAS VEGAS – A team that previously boycotted at least one match against the San Jose State women’s volleyball program will again be faced with the decision whether to play the school, this time in the Mountain West Conference semifinals with a shot at the NCAA Tournament on the line.
Five schools forfeited matches in the regular season against San Jose State, which carried a No. 2 seed into the conference tournament in Las Vegas.
Among those schools: No. 3 Utah State and No. 6 Boise State, who will face off Wednesday with the winner scheduled to play the Spartans in the semifinals on Friday.
Wyoming, Nevada and Southern Utah — which is not a Mountain West member — also canceled regular-season matches, all without explicitly saying why they were forfeiting. Nevada players cited fairness in women’s sports as a reason to boycott their match, while political figures from Wyoming, Idaho, Utah and Nevada suggested the cancellations center around protecting women’s sports.
In a lawsuit filed against the NCAA, plaintiffs cited unspecified reports asserting there was a transgender player on the San Jose State volleyball team, even naming her. While some media have reported those and other details, neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans women’s volleyball player. The Associated Press is withholding the player’s name because she has not publicly commented on her gender identity and through school officials has declined an interview request.
A judge on Monday rejected a request made by nine current conference players to block the San Jose State player from competing in the tournament on grounds that she is transgender. That ruling was upheld Tuesday by an appeals court.
“The team looks forward to starting Mountain West Conference tournament competition on Friday,” San Jose State said in a statement issued after the appeals court decision. “The university maintains an unwavering commitment to the participation, safety and privacy of all students at San Jose State and ensuring they are able to compete in an inclusive, fair and respectful environment.”
Boise State did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
“Utah State is reviewing the court’s order,” Doug Hoffman, Aggies associate athletic director for communications, said in an email. “Right now, our women’s volleyball program is focused on the game this Wednesday, and we’ll be cheering them on.”
San Jose State, which had a first-round bye, would be sent directly to the conference title game if Utah State or Boise State were to forfeit again.
If the Spartans make the title game, it’s likely the opponent would not forfeit. They would face top-seeded Colorado State, No. 4 Fresno State or No. 5 San Diego State — all teams that played the Spartans this season.
The conference champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
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