Las Vegas – Boise State made it through to the semifinals of the Mountain West women’s volleyball tournament after a victory over Utah State on Wednesday night. However, the Broncos remain uncertain about their participation in the upcoming match against San Jose State scheduled for Friday.
San Jose State earned the second seed in the tournament, receiving six forfeit wins due to boycotts from other Mountain West teams and a first-round bye. Meanwhile, Boise State, which secured the sixth seed, did not compete against the Spartans in the regular season, forfeiting both scheduled matches.
“There’s no decision made yet,” commented Boise State spokesperson Doug Link. “I think we are going to play, but there’s nothing else to say at this moment.” He mentioned that the team’s head coach, Shawn Garus, would only address the media regarding the recent match against Utah State, focusing on the outcome with scores of 25-19, 18-25, 25-20, and 25-23. Players were unavailable for comments following the match.
Link expressed uncertainty about the timeline for deciding on the match against San Jose State, whether it would be resolved by Wednesday night, and if the decision would stem from a team vote or a broader university directive.
If San Jose State proceeds to play and wins against Boise State or secures another forfeit, they would face either Colorado State, the top seed, or No. 5 San Diego State in the championship match on Saturday—both of whom have clashed with the Spartans during the season.
San Jose State’s head coach, Todd Kress, was observing the Boise State versus Utah State match, but he did not provide comments afterward. The Spartans are anticipated to release a statement regarding Boise State’s situation when further information is available.
Several Mountain West teams, including Boise State, Wyoming, Utah State, Nevada, and Southern Utah, opted out of playing against San Jose State this season. Players from Nevada articulated their reasoning: they “refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes,” without elaborating on specific issues.
Recently, some athletes filed a lawsuit in Colorado against the conference and San Jose State authorities, seeking to prevent a Spartans player from participating in the tournament. The lawsuit cited unspecified reports of a transgender player on the San Jose State volleyball team, explicitly naming her.
A U.S. Magistrate Judge ruled on Monday in favor of the player’s right to compete, a decision which was upheld by a federal appeals court the following day. While speculation abounds regarding the details surrounding this matter, neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have publicly confirmed the presence of a transgender woman on the volleyball team. Due to the sensitivity of the subject, the individual’s identity is withheld, as she has not publicly discussed her gender identity and has declined interview requests through school officials.
Wyoming and Nevada did not qualify for the tournament, and the contentious nature of transgender women participating in women’s sports is believed to be a significant factor in the forfeit decisions against San Jose State, fueling discussions leading up to recent elections.