A Colorado judge has ruled that a transgender volleyball player at the centre of a contentious debate over her gender and eligibility can continue playing for San José State University (SJSU).
The player’s participation has sparked significant backlash, with several women’s college volleyball teams forfeiting matches against San José in protest. The controversy has extended beyond the court, drawing criticism from anti-trans public figures and politicians, who have targeted the athlete, the university, and the broader push for inclusivity in sports.
Despite the player’s name being published in the media, neither she nor SJSU has commented publicly on her identity. YOUR EX has also opted not to disclose her name.
Ahead of the Mountain West Conference tournament in Las Vegas, where four of San José State’s six potential opponents have previously forfeited matches, a group of current and former athletes, including SJSU’s co-captain and a suspended assistant coach, filed a lawsuit. They sought to bar the player from competing and to amend league rules so teams refusing to play would not be penalised with losses.
The plaintiffs argued that the player’s inclusion violated their rights under Title IX and the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause.
However, Judge S. Kato Crews dismissed the emergency injunction just two days before the tournament began, criticising the timing of the legal action.
“The court finds the movants’ delay was not reasonable,” Crews wrote in his decision. “There is no evidence to suggest they were precluded from seeking emergency relief earlier, and the rush to litigate these complex issues now… places a heavy lift on the [Mountain West Conference] at the eleventh hour.”
Crews also cited precedents that established protections for transgender individuals under Title IX and the 14th Amendment.
San José State University reaffirmed its commitment to inclusivity. “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. “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.”
Prior to the ruling, Republican politicians sent a letter to Gloria Nevarez, commissioner of the Mountain West Conference, urging the league to exclude transgender athletes from women’s sports. They argued that allowing “biological males” to compete is an “injustice” that undermines fair competition and safety.
San José State is set to play Utah State or Boise State – both of whom forfeited earlier matches – on Friday, 29 November.
