LAS VEGAS — Emily Kohan, the head coach of Colorado State, announced that her team intends to compete rather than withdraw from the tournament, becoming the latest team to contest San Jose State after the Rams advanced to the Mountain West volleyball tournament championship game on Friday.
A coveted automatic slot in the NCAA Tournament is at stake for the finalists on Saturday.
Colorado State secured its place in the final by defeating fifth-seeded San Diego State with scores of 20-25, 25-23, 25-21, and 25-23.
Boise State, which previously refused to play against San Jose State during the regular season, withdrew from the conference tournament late Wednesday. This decision came shortly after they clinched a spot in the semifinals by winning against Utah State.
Although the Broncos did not openly state their reasons for this withdrawal, it followed a recent lawsuit filed in Colorado where players from multiple schools sought to restrict a San Jose State player from participating in the tournament.
They referenced various unconfirmed reports of a transgender athlete on the Spartans’ volleyball team, naming the individual directly.
U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews ruled on Monday that the contested player could participate, with a federal appeals court affirming this decision the following day.
“This has been a truly complicated and emotional season for us,” Colorado State’s Kohan reflected. “Unless you’re in those rooms tackling these tough conversations and making challenging decisions, I don’t think you fully grasp how intense the situation is. Still, there have been many young individuals displaying immense courage throughout the season.”
“We believe this stops with us. We will not shift these difficult discussions onto the NCAA committee or any other team for them to address in their hotels.”
San Jose State entered the tournament as the second seed and enjoyed a first-round bye after accomplishing six forfeit victories during the regular season due to boycotts from opponents.
Boise State marked the most recent institution to forfeit, with the athletic department releasing a statement claiming their team “should not have to relinquish this chance while anticipating a more thoughtful system that accommodates all athletes.”
In addition to Boise State, teams from Wyoming, Utah State, Nevada, and Southern Utah opted out of matches this season against the Spartans. The players from Nevada stated they “would not participate in any match that furthers injustice against female athletes,” yet did not elaborate further.
While some media outlets have reported various facets of these developments, San Jose State has yet to validate claims regarding a transgender athlete on its volleyball team. The identity of the player is being withheld as she has not publicly addressed her gender identity and has declined to provide comments through school representatives.
The inclusion of transgender women in women’s sports has become a contentious issue in the political sphere, especially preceding the recent elections.
Outside Cox Pavilion, two protesters from Davis, California, stood in support of teams that forfeited against San Jose State, asserting that the Spartans held an unfair competitive advantage.