San Jose State's women's volleyball team, after a season spent embroiled in controversy surrounding their allegedly transgender player, lost today in the Mountain West Conference Finals against the top-seeded Colorado State Rams.
The Spartans, who struggled offensively throughout against Colorado State's potent defense, won only one set out of five. With this win, Colorado State has now secured their spot in March's 64-team bracket that will determine the sport's national champion.
This loss marks the end of a season steeped in anti-trans backlash from conservative groups and pundits, who vehemently objected to SJSU's inclusion of an allegedly transgender player. Five consecutive teams refused to play against SJSU, forfeiting their games and paving the way for the Spartans to reach the conference finals.
Additionally, nine Mountain West players and a former SJSU assistant coach filed a lawsuit to bar San Jose State from playing in this week's playoff tournament, which eventually failed on appeal in federal court.
One of those nine players is SJSU co-captain Brooke Slusser, who is also the allegedly transgender player's roommate.
“I don’t have an issue with how anyone decides to live their personal life – it has nothing to do with me,” she said. “If that’s what makes them happy it’s not my business – it’s only about women in sports," said Slusser to The Telegraph in an article released earlier today.
The protests, at one point even grew loud enough to reach President-elect Donald Trump while he was on the campaign trail.
Trump, at a Fox News town hall in October, made the now-debunked claim that SJSU's transgender player severely injured a San Diego State player on a routine play, before advocating for a ban on transgender athletes in women's sports.
"We stop it. We stop it. We absolutely stop it. You can't have it," he said.
Advocates argue that the science is still unclear on exactly how much biological advantage transgender athletes retain when on hormone replacement therapy, and that the backlash is a targeted effort to discriminate against queer individuals.
“Let’s be clear — this isn’t actually about sports; it is part of a coordinated nationwide attack on the LGBTQ+ community led by extremist right-wing politicians,” said Tony Hoang, the executive director of LGBT+ advocacy nonprofit Equality California in a statement.
SJSU's administration, the coaching staff for the women's volleyball team, and its players have been collectively steadfast in their support for the supposedly transgender player, and feel that navigating the outrage has been very exhausting.
“This has been one of the most difficult seasons I’ve ever experienced," said Head Coach Todd Kress after today's loss. “Maintaining our focus on the court and ensuring the overall safety and well-being of my players amid the external noise have been my priorities.”
Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images
