San Jose State’s volleyball squad, having secured six victories through forfeit due to boycotts from Mountain West competitors, has clinched the second seed in the conference tournament to be held in Las Vegas. This accolade grants them a bye in the first round.

The Spartans are set to compete in the semifinals on Friday, facing the victor of the quarterfinal clash on Wednesday between No. 3 seed Utah State and No. 6 Boise State. Both of these teams had previously forfeited matches to San Jose State during the regular season, which leaves uncertainty about whether the winning team will actually participate on Friday.

If either of those teams opts not to play, San Jose State may encounter the top-seeded Colorado State, along with No. 4 Fresno State or No. 5 San Diego State, in the championship match slated for Saturday. All three teams have faced off against the Spartans earlier in the season.

This season saw the cancellation of several games against the Spartans by Mountain West teams, including Boise State, Wyoming, Utah State, Nevada, and Southern Utah. Players from Nevada expressed their refusal to partake in any match that they believe supports injustice against female athletes, although further context regarding their stance was not disclosed.

Additionally, a legal action has been initiated in Colorado by athletes from various institutions against the conference alongside San Jose State officials, urging that a specific Spartans player be barred from participating in the tournament.

Notably, Wyoming and Nevada did not qualify for the tournament, and the boycott is believed to have stemmed from discussions surrounding the participation of transgender women in women’s sports, a contentious issue that gained significant political attention in the run-up to the recent election.