Seven women's volleyball players transfer from San Jose State after being forced to play with trans teammate

Seven players on the San Jose State University women’s volleyball team are transferring from the school after their fall season was marked with protests and lawsuits over the inclusion of trans-identified player Blaire Fleming. 

Mayeli T’ia, Mari Lawton, Ava Martin, Laurel Barsocchini, Kiyana Lapula, Jade Epps, and Teya Nguyen have all entered the transfer portal, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Both Brook Slusser, the team captain who has spoken out against the inclusion of her trans-identified male teammate, as well as Fleming, are not eligible to transfer. 

In a statement to Fox News, San Jose State University said, "Student athletes have the ability to make decisions about their college athletic careers, and we have the utmost respect for that."

While the team has not announced any incoming transfers for next season, a source in the program said that there have been four commitments so far and that the seven players are leaving for "various reasons." The portal closes on January 6. The sources added, "if this momentum continues forward, the team put itself in a position where it could compete next year." Six players that are still eligible to transfer are remaining with the Spartans, while seven players on the team are graduating. 

This comes as Slusser has spoken out in support of a lawsuit brought forth by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton against the NCAA. "Hey NCAA, just in case you haven’t realized yet this fight will just keep getting harder for you until you make a change," Slusser wrote. 

In his suit against the collegiate sports body, Paxton accused them of "engaging in false, deceptive, and misleading practices by marketing sporting events as “women’s” competitions only to then provide consumers with mixed sex competitions where biological males compete against biological females."

Slusser was part of a group of athletes and a coach who sued the Mountain West Conference over the inclusion of Fleming, and urged for action to be taken to block Fleming from competing in the conference’s championships, which took place in late November. While San Jose State made it to the finals, Colorado State ultimately won the championships. Over the course of the season, multiple teams forfeited in protest of Fleming, and the team faced protests by women's sports advocates.