A federal judge has ruled that Blaire Fleming, a transgender player on the San Jose State women’s volleyball team, can participate in the upcoming Mountain West Conference tournament. This decision came amid a national controversy surrounding Fleming, who joined the Spartans in 2022. The ruling allows her to compete despite opposition from some players, including those from San Jose State, and a lawsuit involving the university’s transgender-inclusion policies.
The case had been filed by several players, including Melissa Batie-Smoose, a suspended associate head coach for the Spartans. Batie-Smoose had raised concerns about the negative impact of the policy on female athletes and alleged that the university showed favoritism toward Fleming. She filed a Title IX complaint before being suspended earlier this month.
Following the judge’s decision, San Jose State issued a statement affirming its commitment to supporting all student-athletes and rejecting any form of discrimination. The university emphasized that all athletes, including transgender players, are eligible to participate according to NCAA and Mountain West Conference rules.
The controversy has led to some teams, including Boise State and Utah State, forfeiting games against San Jose State, granting the Spartans several victories by default. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit argued that allowing Fleming to compete would be discriminatory to women and called for an injunction to prevent her participation in the tournament.
Fleming, who has not publicly addressed the controversy, is expected to play as the Spartans enter the tournament with the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye. Team co-captain Brooke Slusser, who has voiced opposition to Fleming’s inclusion, is one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. Despite these tensions, San Jose State looks ahead to its participation in the championship.
