U.S. college volleyball team forfeits instead of competing against transgender opponent

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A player blocks a shot during a NCAA women's volleyball match. AP Photo

For the third time this season, the San Jose State women’s volleyball team saw its opponent forfeit rather than take the floor.​

The team from the University of Wyoming announced that it would forfeit its match instead of facing the Spartans, who field a transgender player on their squad.



“After a lengthy discussion, the University of Wyoming will not play its scheduled conference match against San Jose State University,” the volleyball program said in a statement on Tuesday. “Per Mountain West Conference policy, the conference will record the match as a forfeit and a loss for Wyoming.”



Wyoming joined Boise State and Southern Utah to forfeit instead of facing SJSU, but none of the three schools gave a specific reason for the forfeit.



Blaire Fleming, a transgender female, competes on San Jose State’s team. She is a redshirt junior who plays as an outside and right-side hitter. Fleming has played two seasons at SJSU after previously playing at Coastal Carolina.