LAS VEGAS — San Jose State expressed its disappointment on Thursday following Boise State’s decision to forfeit their semifinal match in the Mountain West women’s volleyball tournament. However, the Spartans are now concentrating on their upcoming challenges.
Boise State, which previously boycotted two regular-season matches against San Jose State, announced its withdrawal from the conference tournament late Wednesday night, just hours after securing a semifinal matchup against the Spartans. As a result of this forfeit, San Jose State automatically progressed to the championship match scheduled for Saturday.
Although Boise State did not provide a clear explanation for its exit, a lawsuit was filed in Colorado by athletes from various institutions against the conference and San Jose State. This legal action sought to prevent the participation of a San Jose State player, based on claims about her being transgender. The lawsuit even identified the player involved.
A ruling by U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews on Monday permitted the player to compete, which was subsequently upheld by a federal appeals court the next day. San Jose State released a statement highlighting their appreciation for civil and respectful discussions during this time of Thanksgiving. “We celebrate and support all of our students, including our student-athletes as they compete for our community on this holiday weekend,” the statement read, recognizing their disappointment over Boise State’s choice but emphasizing their team’s readiness for the championship.
San Jose State, currently seeded second in the Mountain West tournament after receiving multiple forfeit victories due to boycotts by other teams, received a first-round bye and now awaits the winner of a semifinal match between No. 1 Colorado State and No. 5 San Diego State. Both teams opted to compete against the Spartans earlier in the season rather than participate in the boycott.
The Mountain West conference confirmed that forfeiting matches is at each institution’s discretion, treating such events as a loss. This forfeit by Boise State came right on the heels of their quarterfinal victory over Utah State with scores of 25-19, 18-25, 25-20, 25-23.
In their statement that evening, the Broncos’ athletic department emphasized their team’s resilience despite facing forfeit losses and expressed regret that players would miss this opportunity while waiting for a more just and comprehensive system for all athletes.
This season, multiple Mountain West institutions, including Boise State, Wyoming, Utah State, and Nevada as well as Southern Utah, canceled matches against the Spartans. Players from Nevada stated they would not participate in competitions perceived to support injustice against female athletes but provided no further details regarding their stance.
Additionally, Idaho Governor Brad Little enacted an executive order called the Defending Women’s Sports Act on August 28, contesting the interpretation of Title IX regulations in the state. During this time, Governor Little argued that biological males possess physical attributes granting them an unfair advantage in women’s sports.
While media outlets have discussed these issues, San Jose State has not officially confirmed the presence of a transgender woman on their volleyball team. The identity of the player remains private as she has not publicly discussed her gender identity and has declined interview requests relayed through school officials.
The participation of transgender women in women’s sports has emerged as a prominent political issue, particularly leading up to the recent elections.