SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The San Jose State women’s volleyball team lost to San Diego State on Saturday.
Blair Fleming, a transgender player at SJSU, drew a record crowd, a large portion of which were advocates for women’s rights in sports who made their stance against Fleming’s participation known.
It was that explicit call to protect women’s sports that ultimately caught the attention of SDSU staff.
San Jose State’s Blair Fleming lost to SDSU on Saturday, November 9. (Alejandro Avila / OutKick)
((Alejandro Avila/OutKick))
Blair Fleming’s SJSU team draws big crowds at SDSU
According to a security personnel at Peterson Gym in San Diego, the average attendance at SDSU volleyball games was about 100 people. It seemed that the crowd on Saturday was three times as large.
This larger-than-usual crowd was talking about the 6-foot-1 transfer player visiting San Diego to take on the female Aztecs. A sign appeared: “Save women’s sports.”
During the game, many in attendance, including Turning Point employees on the SDSU campus, led a “No men in women’s sports” chant.
SDSU staff were on high alert for forms of “hate speech” during Fleming’s visit.
The security member, who has worked at several Aztec sporting events, stated that the fans did not violate any guidelines. An attendee in the opposing stands, who was sitting next to SDSU staff, complained to security about the cheering fans, trying to remove them.
This fan tried to kick out the fans who were cheering. (Alejandro Avila/outkik)
(Alejandro Avila/outkik)
“Freedom of expression,” the security member answered when asked if fans had violated the venue’s rules.
SDSU employee tries to stop the ‘There are no men in women’s sports’ chant.
Fleming’s presence elicited several cheers.
During the penultimate set, SDSU associate athletic director of operations Dave Noll approached one of the cheerleaders leading the cheers.
SDSU’s Turning Point class identified the attendee as Patrick Higuera.
Nole approached the stands to reach Higuera’s seat, escorted by venue security.
An SDSU employee reported to Higuera that he violated Mountain West Conference guidelines by leading chants promoting the keeping of men out of women’s sports.
Noll put himself face to face with Higuera.
“Shame on you for not protecting women,” Higuera told Knoll.
(Videos courtesy of Marcy Strange/Maryam Najjar of Turning Point USA)
SDSU employee confronts fan at SJSU game – 2
An SDSU employee confronts a fan at an SJSU game
OutKick contacted SDSU about what happened between Higuera and Noll.
“Our staff has been trained to intervene in interactions where disturbances, complaints or concerns have been reported, and guidelines and policies have been put in place that help ensure a safe environment for our student-athletes, staff and guests,” a statement on behalf of SDSU Athletics said.
“Our sporting events are opportunities to support our teams, celebrate our community, and set a positive example for our student-athletes and guests. Poor behavior, including disrespectful language, sarcasm, and any unsportsmanlike conduct, does not reflect the values we uphold, including the Mountain West Conference’s sportsmanship guidelines “It undermines the positive spirit of the game.”
San Jose lost the match to the Aztecs in four sets with a score of 3-1 (25-18, 25-22, 23-25, 25-19). Fleming recorded 15 kills in the losing effort.
Save Women’s Sports banner held up by members of the Turning Point USA-SDSU chapter. (Alejandro Avila/outkik)
(Alejandro Avila/outkik)
The SJSU Spartans now sit at 13-4 (11-4 conference), with the team taking advantage of multiple waivers as teams opted not to play against SJSU and Fleming. Two of SJSU’s scheduled opponents, Boise State and Wyoming, elected to forfeit two games each this season, with a “no contest” ruled the loss. Utah State, Southern Utah and Nevada have also lost games this season against SJSU.
Before Saturday’s game, Jim Desmond (a member of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors) urged SDSU to concede in solidarity with the women who refuse to compete against Fleming. Amid the turmoil at SJSU, San Diego State chose to play, going 3-0 over the Spartans this season. In their last confrontation, Fleming hit a fastball that hard hit the SDSU player in the face.
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This issue has negatively impacted SJSU athletes, students, parents and competitors, highlighting the need for immediate action. Although players rejected Fleming, schools and governing bodies protected the trans athlete.
In 2022, San Jose State hid Brayden “Blair” Fleming’s identity as a trans player to welcome him to the Spartans’ roster.
SJSU administration received criticism for its preferential treatment of Fleming over that of female team members. One of SJSU’s coaches, Melissa Patty Smus, was suspended by the program for speaking out against Fleming’s participation.
NCAA President Charlie Baker, Mountain West Conference Commissioner Gloria Nevarez and the San Jose State administration have been scrutinized for allowing Fleming to compete against women while sharing a locker room with her SJSU teammates.
During a “Women’s Sports for Women Only” event in Reno, OutKick’s Riley Gaines urged governing bodies, including the NCAA and the Mountain West Conference, to listen to women talk about their experiences with transgender athletes.
Blair Fleming continues her dominance in women’s volleyball (Credit: SJSU Athletics)
((Credit: SJSU Athletics))
Brooke Slusser, co-captain of the SJSU Spartans, became the focal point of drama on the team after he was one of those to speak out. She joined a lawsuit against the NCAA for its negligence in preventing men from competing against women in college athletics. The lawsuit is supported by ICONS.
The lawsuit states that the NCAA’s policies violate Title IX by allowing male athletes who identify as transgender to compete in women’s sports and use women’s locker rooms.
The lawsuit also asks the NCAA to revoke any titles or records won by transgender athletes in women’s competitions.
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