Wyoming Volleyball Axes Upcoming Game with San Jose State
LARAMIE -- Wyoming's women's volleyball team announced Tuesday it will not play its upcoming game against San Jose State and will instead accept a forfeit.
That match was slated for Oct. 5 inside the UniWyo Sports Complex in Laramie.
Fellow Mountain West institution Boise State also axed its game with the Spartans last week.
While neither school gave a specific reason why in a pair of prepared statements, the decision ultimately revolves around Blaire Fleming, a redshirt senior at SJSU who is believed to be transgender.
Southern Utah also canceled its meeting with SJSU earlier last month.
Wyoming's Director of Athletics Tom Burman Monday was asked about the situation and whether or not the Cowgirls would indeed play this game.
"We made a decision last week that we were intending to play them, and we are still under that umbrella," he said. "We will have a team meeting and talk about it. We are looking at weighing all the issues related to it. It's a very complex issue, and I believe it's not one that we should make without including those who it impacts the most, which are the student-athletes."
After the Broncos cancellation, Idaho Gov. Brad Little praised the school's decision. He even signed an executive order, the nation's first, "defending women's sports."
“We need to ensure player safety for all of our female athletes and continue the fight for fairness in women’s sports,” Little stated to KRON4.
Fleming, who has never publicly admitted being transgender, is listed as a 6-foot-1 outside/ right-side hitter, and is in her second season at SJSU after transferring from Coastal Carolina.
The Virginia native currently ranks second on the Spartans in kills and points with 119 and 139.5, respectively, in 32 games. SJSU is the only unbeaten team in the Mountain West at 9-0, including a 2-0 mark in conference play. Wyoming is 9-4 overall and 1-1 in the league.