A closer look at Utah State volleyball’s decision to forfeit to SJSU

Utah State’s women’s volleyball team on Wednesday became the fourth team this fall to forfeit a match against San Jose State , joining Southern Utah, Boise State and Wyoming.

The forfeiture of the upcoming Oct. 23 matchup between the Aggies and Spartans in California was described in simple terms, with a university release stating simply that USU would not be participating in the match .

A Utah State spokesman told the Deseret News Thursday that that is the only statement the school will be making at this time.

While a specific reason for forfeiture of the match wasn’t given, the presumed impetus for USU’s decision, as well as the forfeits by SUU, BSU and Wyoming, is the presence of transgender female athlete Blaire Fleming on the SJSU team.

In a statement made on X Wednesday night, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox — a Utah State alumnus — said, “I stand with the students, coaches and leadership at @SUUtbirds and @USUAggies in their decision to forgo their women’s volleyball matches against San Jose State. It is essential that we preserve a space for women to compete fairly and safely. Our female athletes are left grappling with this difficult issue because the NCAA has failed in its responsibility to protect female athletes and women’s sports. It’s time for the NCAA to take this seriously and protect our female student-athletes.”

In forfeiting the match against SJSU, Utah State said that it would “abide by Mountain West Conference policy regarding how this match is recorded,” which means the Aggies (3-10) will suffer a 3-0 loss to the undefeated Spartans (9-0).

What is the NCAA’s transgender student-athlete participation policy?

The NCAA has a clear policy in regard to transgender athletes in collegiate sports that was updated in May 2024.

Eligibility is determined on a sport-by-sport basis, aligning with current International Olympic Committee policy .

“The resulting sport-by-sport approach preserves opportunity for transgender student-athletes while balancing fairness, inclusion and safety for all who compete,” the NCAA’s transgender student-athlete participation policy reads .

Who determines the policy for each sport?

• If there is a national governing body for the sport — in the case of volleyball that is USA Volleyball — then the NCAA follows the policy of that governing body.
• If there is no national governing body, NCAA policy is determined by the rules of the sport’s international federation.
• If there is no international federation policy on transgender athletes, NCAA policy would then be determined by the International Olympic Committee.

In some sports, like indoor and outdoor track and field, cross-country, swimming, diving and water polo, recent changes to policy by international federations could soon ban transgender athletes from competing at the NCAA level.

When it comes to volleyball, though, USA Volleyball allows for transgender participation , as long as certain requirements are met:

• Any athlete who wants to compete as a gender different than the gender they were assigned at birth “must notify USAV of their intent at least six weeks prior to the competition in which they wish to participate. Sufficient documentation must be provided to permit the GC to determine that the applicant has taken the necessary steps to transition to their adopted gender.”
• Three submissions are required: 1) a statement that the athlete wants to compete as a different gender; 2) a statement from their treating physician with medical records showing that they have taken steps to transition their gender; 3) lab reports of testosterone levels.
• For transgender collegiate volleyball athletes, “testosterone levels must not exceed the upper limit of the normal female reference range for their age group,” which specifically means testosterone levels must be less than 10 nmol/L for a minimum of one year prior to their application being submitted to USA Volleyball.

USA Volleyball acknowledges in its transgender policy that “androgenic hormones may possibly provide TG athletes with an unfair competitive advantage, so the GC may require TG athletes to provide documentation of appropriately managed therapy at the time of initial application to compete.”

Additionally, if approval is granted to an athlete to compete as their adopted gender, the aforementioned documentation must be resubmitted and approved prior to the start of each new season.

Does the Mountain West Conference have its own transgender student-athlete participation policy?

The Mountain West Conference did not respond to a request for comment by the Deseret News Thursday.

The league doesn’t have its own transgender student-athlete policy, as it operates as part of the NCAA.

The MWC does, however, have an official statement of policy regarding gender equity , in which it says that it “affirms the value of gender equity in its intercollegiate athletics programs. Gender equity is the fair distribution of overall athletics opportunities, supported by equitable benefits and resources available to all men’s and women’s teams.”

The league also has a general statement of philosophy, in which it promises to, among other things:

• Foster intercollegiate athletics programs in a manner that will enhance the academic advancement, character development, athletics potential and well-being of student-athletes.
• Commit to integrity and equity in intercollegiate athletics.
• Be a leading voice in national governance.
• Be innovative and visionary in the approach to intercollegiate athletics.

The MWC states that it will actively check progress toward those goals, “evaluating the conference and its member institutions by using numerous categories of assessment and various measuring mechanisms. The results will shape the activities and direction of the conference relative to its philosophy and goals.”

The conference has made no official statement regarding the recent forfeits by Boise State, Wyoming and Utah State.

Could USU’s forfeit impact future Pac-12 membership?

Utah State will become a member of the Pac-12 Conference beginning in 2026.

Membership in the newest version of the Pac-12 has been viewed as a boon for the Aggies, but some are wondering if there is a chance the Aggies’ match forfeiture could impact their relationships with the Pac-12.

The Pac-12 did not respond to a request for comment from the Deseret News Thursday.

In Utah State’s membership agreement with the Pac-12, acquired via GRAMA request, there is no mention of transgender student-athlete policy and the only reference to women’s volleyball is a clause that requires Utah State to maintain an NCAA compliant, Division I program along with football and men’s and women’s basketball.

The Pac-12 does have an official statement on equity, diversity and inclusion in which it states, “We are People, Allies, and Champions. We are the Pac-12. We believe in the power of equity, diversity & inclusion and we strive to build a future that is human-centered and grounded in justice. This is core to who we are as an organization and fuels our mission for championing the academic and athletic excellence and well-being of our student-athletes.”

It goes on to say, “We are committed to the principles of inclusion and equal opportunity for our staff and student-athletes, which includes providing an environment free of discrimination, harassment and marginalization, and attracting, developing and retaining a talented diverse workforce at all levels of our organization. As allies, we will continue to challenge all forms of injustice, build a community that values all dimensions of diversity to propel innovation, and create space for all people to thrive.”

Who is Blaire Fleming?

A native of Aldie, Virginia, Blair Fleming is in her third season at SJSU, following her transfer to the school from Coastal Carolina following the 2020 season.

Listed at 6-foot-1, Fleming played in 27 matches — 106 sets — last season and averaged 2.93 kills and 0.58 blocks per set. She redshirted her first year at San Jose State in 2022.