UNM volleyball coach speaks after team plays controversial game against San Jose State

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The University of New Mexico volleyball team faced off against the San Jose State Spartans on Thursday night. San Jose State University has been mired in controversy after four teams decided to forfeit games this season because a team member is allegedly transgender.

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UNM decided the game would take place as scheduled. They have faced off against the team before when that player was on the roster. There was a lawsuit filed by several women’s rights organizations claiming that player’s involvement was unfair and violated Title IX. A San Jose State volleyball player joined that lawsuit saying the teammate had told them that they were transgender.

The UNM coach said his players had no objection. “Every single athlete said they were excited to go play and get better. In order to win the conference, you need wins in the conference, and we want to be a team at the top and we are fighting through some stuff right now. But at the end of the day, the team is battling and that is what they wanted to do tonight and we came up short and that doesn’t feel very good regardless of who is on the other side. But at the end of the day, the team wants to get better and they wanted to play,” said UNM Volleyball Coach Jon Newman-Gonchar.

San Jose State won Thursday night’s match three sets to one.

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