**Transgender Athlete Debate Causes Series of Forfeits for San Jose State Women's Volleyball**

The San Jose State women's volleyball team is navigating a storm of controversy as they strive for their first NCAA Tournament appearance in over two decades. Amidst their strong season, the focus has shifted to the participation of a transgender player on the team, a topic that has garnered national attention from talk-show hosts and politicians. This contentious issue has led to five teams canceling their matches against San Jose State.

Most recently, the University of Nevada, Reno, backed out of a scheduled game, citing a shortage of players. Originally set to host San Jose State, Nevada players announced their refusal to play, denouncing what they termed an "advancement of injustice against female athletes." Despite the school’s athletic department referencing state equality laws and stating that no player would be disciplined for opting out, the game was moved to San Jose, California, before Nevada ultimately forfeited.

This trend of cancellations began with Southern Utah and continued with Boise State, Wyoming, Utah State, and now Nevada. Notably, Boise State, Wyoming, Utah State, and Nevada are part of the Mountain West conference, making their cancellations official forfeits and hence, wins for San Jose State in the league standings.

The controversy has also sparked legal action. A lawsuit funded by the Independent Council on Women's Sports targets the NCAA, challenging the inclusion of transgender women in women's sports under Title IX, a federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in education. San Jose State senior setter and co-captain Brooke Slusser joined the lawsuit, alleging concerns over safety and fairness due to her teammate's participation.

The issue has been further politicized with recent comments from former President Donald Trump, who advocated for an outright ban on transgender athletes in women's sports. The GOP governors of Idaho, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming have publicly supported the cancellation of games, emphasizing fairness in women’s sports.

San Jose State's head coach, Todd Kress, expressed concern over the intense scrutiny and negative messages his team has faced. Despite the turmoil, the team maintains an impressive record of 11-3 this season. Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez also lamented the negative attention affecting student-athletes on both sides of the debate, highlighting the emotional toll experienced by all involved.

The debate reached new heights when Utah State players wore T-shirts reading "BOYcott" and Nevada players held a team meeting before deciding to forfeit their match. Senior Nevada player Sia Liilii stated that their decision was a stand against perceived sex-based discrimination and injustice, signaling the growing solidarity among teams.

As the San Jose State Spartans push toward their NCAA Tournament goals, the larger debate around transgender athletes in sports shows no signs of abating, continuing to cast a shadow over their season.