SAN JOSE – San Jose State has taken measures to ensure its women’s volleyball team remains safe from potential outside antagonists as the program finds itself in the middle of a debate over the role of transgender athletes.
The team, which plays Thursday night at Colorado State, has had extra security from university police for the last several weeks, including on the road, according to SJSU spokesperson Michelle Smith McDonald.
McDonald described some social media activity directed at the team and university as “unsettling”, noting that the university’s top priority is student safety.
Three schools, including Wyoming this week, have forfeited matches against the Spartans this season. None have said why, though some politicians from those communities have praised the schools for not playing San Jose State; one SJSU athlete has claimed that a trans player is on the team and alleged that the player has an unfair advantage.
McDonald said that while the forfeits by Boise State and Wyoming of the Mountain West and Southern Utah are counted as SJSU victories by the conference, they would be classified as “no contest” for NCAA Tournament purposes.
San Jose State (9-0) has 15 matches remaining in the regular season, plus the Mountain West tournament, and would need to play 19 matches to qualify for the NCAAs.
If more teams forfeit against the Spartans, it could jeopardize their postseason eligibility. McDonald noted that SJSU could apply for a waiver into the NCAA Tournament if it doesn’t play 19 matches. As of last year, conference tournament games could also be counted toward that total.
San Jose State is scheduled to host Wyoming on Nov. 14 and visit Boise State to close out the regular season on Nov. 21.
Mountain West Conference spokesperson Javan Hedlund declined to address contingency plans if teams forfeit against SJSU during the conference tournament.
“It is a very fluid situation, and I don’t want to throw out hypotheticals of what could happen down the line,” Hedlund told this news organization on Wednesday. “Right now, two contests were forfeited, and they followed the protocols within the Mountain West.”
On the topic of team safety, Hedlund said that each of its schools is required to provide a baseline amount of security for sporting events. Schools are allowed to increase protection if they feel it is necessary.
“San Jose State can beef up security however they wish,” Hedlund said. “If they’re traveling and would like to have that discussion with the institutions on the road, they can have those discussions.”
The issue has intensified in the aftermath of San Jose State player Brooke Slusser joining a lawsuit last month, claiming she has a transgender teammate who, she suggested, has physical advantages over other women athletes.
This news organization is not identifying the player named in the lawsuit.
In a statement provided to this news organization by NCAA spokesperson Greg Johnson on Wednesday, the governing body said, “College sports are the premier stage for women’s sports in America and the NCAA members will continue to promote Title IX, make unprecedented investments in women’s sports and ensure fair competition for all student-athletes in all NCAA championships.”
The NCAA’s eligibility requirements for transgender players mirror those of most sports’ organizing bodies, in this case, USA Volleyball. That group’s policy on transgender athletes assigned male at birth states: “Testosterone levels must not exceed the upper limit of the normal female reference range for their age group.”
San Jose State has said its players are in compliance with NCAA rules, but have not confirmed the gender identity of any players, citing federal privacy laws.