San Jose State University’s transgender women’s volleyball player, Blaire Fleming, will participate in the Mountain West Conference tournament following a federal court decision on Monday. The ruling was made by Judge Kato Crews of Colorado, appointed by President Joe Biden, who declined a request for injunctive relief in a lawsuit involving several collegiate volleyball players against the Mountain West Conference.
The plaintiffs, representing multiple conference schools, argued for an emergency delay, citing First Amendment and Title IX violations. They also sought to rescind forfeits, alter standings, and remove Fleming from the tournament. However, Crews deemed the request “not reasonable,” noting it could lead to confusion and disrupt the plans of participating teams, including San Jose State.
In support of Fleming, San Jose State maintained that all its student-athletes are eligible according to NCAA and conference regulations. “San José State University will continue to support its student-athletes and reject discrimination in all forms. All San José State University student-athletes are eligible to participate in their sports under NCAA and Mountain West Conference rules,” the university said in a statement, adding: “We are gratified that the Court rejected an eleventh-hour attempt to change those rules. Our team looks forward to competing in the Mountain West volleyball tournament this week.”
Despite missing seven matches due to forfeits, Fleming has been a formidable offensive player. He ranks third in the conference for average kills per serve, contributing to the Spartans’ third-best hitting percentage. Granted, Fleming is a biological male competing against biological females.
It’s one thing to hear about the male advantage in volleyball: higher jumps, harder spikes, faster serves.
But it’s another thing to see it. Watch as male SJSU player Blaire Fleming dominates this women’s game—with a team-best 24 kills—on Saturday, 11/16.
We support… pic.twitter.com/W3dzKXJPNP
— Alliance Defending Freedom (@ADFLegal) November 20, 2024