The Boise State women’s volleyball team elected to do in the Mountain West Conference tournament what they had done twice during the regular season: forfeit a game against a trans player.
After defeating Utah State on Wednesday, Boise State faced the impossible choice of forfeiting a match against San Jose State (SJSU) and their trans player Blaire Fleming, therefore losing any chance of a conference championship. Or, compromise the principles that compelled them to forfeit two games against SJSU in the regular season and play the game.
In the end, Boise State chose to stand on principle.
“The decision to not continue to play in the 2024 Mountain West Volleyball Championship tournament was not an easy one,” Boise State Athletics wrote in a statement via OutKick. “Our team overcame forfeitures to earn a spot in the tournament field and fought for the win over Utah State in the first round on Wednesday.
“They should not have to forgo this opportunity while waiting for a more thoughtful and better system that serves all athletes.”
Controversy would have arisen no matter who won Wednesday’s game; Boise State and Utah State forfeited matches against SJSU this year. Now, SJSU will await the winner of Colorado State and San Diego State, two schools that did not forfeit their games against the Spartans this year.
SJSU, the #2 seed in the conference tournament, reached that lofty position primarily on the strength of six forfeited matches, which gave them easy wins and a chance to rest their players.
The impossible position Boise State found themselves in – having to choose between fulfilling their dreams of winning their conference or standing on principle – can be attributed to Biden-appointed Judge Kato Crews, who earlier this week overruled a jointly filed suit against the Mountain West and its commissioner, alleging violations of Title IX and their First Amendment rights. At least a dozen female athletes signed on to the suit.
However, Crews wrote that the suit’s request for an emergency delay was “not reasonable” “and “would risk confusion and upend months of planning and would prejudice, at a minimum, (San Jose State) and other teams participating in the tournament.”
“The movants have failed to meet their burden to show irreparable harm, a likelihood of success on the merits, or that the balance of harms or equities is in their favor,” Crews wrote.
Had the suit succeeded, the regular-season forfeits against SJSU would have been removed, and the conference standings would have been adjusted accordingly. More importantly, Fleming would have been excluded from the tournament.
The Mountain West Conference tournament winner will go on to the NCAA Division I Women’s College Volleyball tournament.
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