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A judge on Monday rejected a request to block a San Jose State women’s volleyball team member from playing in a conference tournament on grounds that she is transgender.
The ruling by U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews in Denver will allow the player, who has played all season, to compete in the Mountain West Conference women’s championship opening this week in Las Vegas.
The ruling comes in a lawsuit filed by nine current players against the Mountain West Conference challenging the league’s policies for allowing transgender players to participate. The players argued that letting her compete was a safety risk and unfair.
While some media have reported those and other details, neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans woman volleyball player. The Associated Press is withholding the player’s name because she has not commented publicly on her gender identity. School officials also have declined an interview request with the player.
Crews‘ ruling referred to the athlete as an „alleged transgender“ player and noted that no defendant disputed that the San Jose State roster includes a transgender woman player.
San Jose State will „continue to support its student-athletes and reject discrimination in all forms“, the university said in a statement, confirming that all its student-athletes are eligible to participate under NCAA and conference rules. „We are gratified that the Court rejected an eleventh-hour attempt to change those rules. Our team looks forward to competing in the Mountain West volleyball tournament this week.“
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The conference did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
The players filed a notice for emergency appeal with the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Crews said the players who filed the complaint could have sought relief much earlier, noting the individual universities had acknowledged that not playing their games against San Jose State this season would result in a loss in league standings.
