A recent court decision has cleared the way for a member of the San Jose State women’s volleyball team, who is transgender, to compete in the upcoming Mountain West Conference tournament. U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews made this ruling on Monday in Denver, allowing the player to participate in the championship event set to take place later this week in Las Vegas.

This judgment follows a lawsuit brought by nine current players challenging the Mountain West Conference’s policies regarding the inclusion of transgender athletes. The plaintiffs expressed concerns about safety and fairness with regards to allowing the player to compete. While some reports aimed to shed light on the situation, neither the university nor the teams that forfeited against San Jose State have confirmed the existence of a transgender volleyball player on the roster. The name of the player remains undisclosed, as she has yet to publicly address her gender identity, and requests for interviews by school officials have gone unfulfilled.

In his ruling, Judge Crews referred to the volleyball player as an “alleged transgender” athlete and pointed out that no party contested the fact that San Jose State includes a transgender woman on its team. He critiqued the complainants for not seeking relief sooner, noting that the universities involved recognized that not playing against San Jose State would result in forfeits in the league standings.

Judge Crews emphasized that injunctions aim to maintain the existing situation. The policy regarding forfeits that arise when teams refuse to compete against a squad with a transgender player has been in place since 2022, and the player in question has been part of the San Jose State roster since that time.

The player had previously competed in collegiate volleyball across three seasons, including two with San Jose State, with her identity drawing minimal attention until this year. Increased awareness surrounding her gender identity has stirred controversy among some athletes, commentators, parents, and political figures during an election cycle.

The tournament is scheduled to commence on Wednesday, running through Friday and Saturday. San Jose State has secured the second seed for the event. Judge Crews’ ruling maintains the tournament’s seedings and match pairings.

San Jose State, boasting a 12-6 record within the conference, ranks fourth out of the eleven teams in the league. Overall, the team holds an impressive record of 14-6, placing them at the top of the conference standings.

Several teams opted not to compete against San Jose State throughout the season, leading to official losses. Boise State and Wyoming each recorded two forfeits, while Utah State and Nevada each had one. Southern Utah, part of the Western Athletic Conference, was the first team to withdraw from competition against San Jose State earlier this year.

Players from Nevada made statements indicating their refusal to engage in matches that they believe perpetuate injustice against female athletes but did not elaborate on their stance. Judge Crews has previously served over five years as a magistrate judge in Colorado’s U.S. District Court before being appointed as a federal judge by President Joe Biden earlier this year.