Mountain West Conference commissioner laments 'national negative attention' amid SJSU trans player controversy

Mountain West Conference Commissioner Gloria Nevarez spoke on Thursday about the drama surrounding the San Jose State women’s volleyball team, as several schools have decided to forfeit games against the squad because of a transgender athlete on its roster.

Nevarez said at Mountain West basketball media days that the forfeits against the Spartans is "not what we celebrate in college athletics."

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Blaire Fleming, #3, a redshirt senior at San Jose State University, plays as an outside and right-side hitter on the women’s volleyball team. (San Jose State University)

"It breaks my heart because they're human beings, young people, student-athletes on both sides of this issue that are getting a lot of national negative attention. It just doesn't feel right to me," Nevarez told The Associated Press.

Boise State, Southern Utah, Utah State and Wyoming decided to forfeit games against San Jose State. Some Nevada players have chosen to sit out the game, but the school is playing in the match regardless, saying state law bars forfeiture.

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Blaire Fleming, a transgender athlete, has played three seasons at SJSU after previously playing at Coastal Carolina. (San Jose State University)

"I know what our team is going to do, and we are going to have integrity," Wolf Pack captain Sia Liillii told The Reno Gazzette Journal. "I think this is the toughest thing our team has gone through, but I’m just glad I have so many brave young women behind me, and I get to be the captain of this team."

Nevarez suggested trans inclusion in women’s sports was an issue she was still "learning a lot about."

Mountain West Conference Commissioner Gloria Nevarez reacts during the Mountain West Championship at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Dec. 2, 2023. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

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"I don't know a lot of the language yet or the science or the understanding nationally of how this issue plays out," she added. "The external influences are so far on either side. We have an election year. It's political, so, yeah, it feels like a no-win based on all the external pressure."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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