Sports

The best Aaron Judge trading cards to collect: From rookie cards to pieces of corn stalks

Published

2 years ago

September 9, 2024

The best Aaron Judge trading cards to collect: From rookie cards to pieces of corn stalks

Aaron Judge has broken records and compiled an array of individual honors on his way to becoming one of the faces of Major League Baseball during his career with the New York Yankees. Baseball card collectors have been drawn to the 2017 American League Rookie of the Year and 2022 AL MVP in growing numbers, but what are the best starting points when it comes to Judge cards? Here are our picks.

Things to know before buying

The value of sports cards can fluctuate for various reasons such as condition, print runs, or graded population. Other factors that can cause prices to go up or down include player performance, market trends, and health of the wider economy. The secondary sales market for individual cards of a given sport generally hits its lowest point during the offseason (in other words, you can usually find better prices in the offseason than during the season). My recommendations are not an attempt to promote specific investment behavior or trading advice, but to guide and inform readers about popular and unique cards that are celebrated by the sports card community.

Ultimately, the best cards to collect are always the ones you will enjoy regardless of whether they go up or down in value. The recommendations below should serve as a starting point for cards to consider, but a big part of the fun in collecting is the hunt for the cards you like the most.

“Raw” cards vs. Graded cards

Cards can come out of the pack (their “raw” state) with a wide variety of imperfections that can impact their value. Card grading is a process in a which an expert of the field determines the condition of a card based on a number of factors (including corner sharpness, image centering, print imperfections, and more) and assigns a numerical grade, usually on a scale of 1-10 (with the latter being close to perfect) and sealed in a protective case. There are a number of grading companies, each with their own unique grading scales, but Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) is by far the largest and most prominent in the industry. Cards graded a “PSA 10” can carry a significant value multiplier compared to raw cards or those graded by other companies.

It’s fine (and often cheaper) to buy cards raw, but if you want to ensure authenticity and/or a minimum condition level and you’re not experienced at determining card condition for yourself, you may want to buy a graded card instead — particularly if you’re buying online and only able to see the card in photographs.

Judge’s 2013 Bowman Chrome #BDPP19 is my best value recommendation based on the number of graded copies and price. It also marks one of his first cards as a member of the Yankees organization, predating his official Topps rookie cards by four years.

Best low-end (~$1-$99) Aaron Judge cards

This is a category for collectors who are on a tighter budget or aren’t as concerned about the long-term monetary value of the cards they buy.

2017 Topps #287 rookie card

I consider Aaron Judge’s 2017 Topps #287 a prototypical rookie card that’s high in demand and affordably priced. Raw versions are currently selling on eBay for around $20 with multiple transactions per day over the last 30 days.

I don’t necessarily blame folks who’d prefer a rookie card that captures Judge at the plate, but the fact that it’s his first rookie card from Topps’ flagship set makes it my top budget-friendly recommendation.

More expensive variations and parallels of this card: Purple, Negative, Rainbow Foil, Image Variation SP (short print), Gold (/2017), Vintage Stock (/99), Black (/66), Mother’s Day Pink (/50), Father’s Day light blue (/50), Memorial Day Camouflage (/25), Clear (/10), Platinum (1/1), Printing Plates (1/1), 65th Anniversary Stamp (1/1)

2017 Topps Archives #62 rookie card

As someone who appreciates the history of the hobby, I felt it was necessary to feature Aaron Judge’s’ 2017 Topps Archives #62 card. The Archives product was created to pay homage to the classic Topps baseball card designs of the past while featuring current rookies and stars. The horizontal look, dual imaging, and bright colors of this card are a tribute to the 1960 Topps design.

Although this is a set that’s not particularly known for garnering high interest on the secondary market for its base cards, the current demand for Aaron Judge rookies combined with the nostalgic aspects of this card design has it selling for around $40-$60 on eBay as of this writing.

More expensive variations and parallels: Grey Back, Peach (/199), Blue (/75), Red (/25), Black (1/1)

Best value (~$100-$499) Aaron Judge cards

This is a category for collectors looking to pay a bit more for cards that have some degree of scarcity and have a better chance at retaining or increasing in value long-term.

2013 Bowman Chrome Draft Picks & Prospects #BDPP19

Before his 2017 Major League debut, Judge’s first official baseball card as part of the New York Yankees organization can be found in 2013 Bowman Chrome Draft Picks & Prospects.

Let me clarify the difference between a player’s first Bowman card and Topps rookie card — a “1st Bowman” card is a player’s first official pro baseball card that comes once they’ve joined a team’s minor league system through free agency or the draft. On the other hand, a Topps rookie card refers to a player’s first card once they debut in the Major Leagues, which, in the modern era, generally includes an “RC” (for “rookie card”) stamped on the front.

Judge’s Chrome base card (chromium cards are shiny and are printed on a thicker card stock than the generally more abundant and flimsier “paper” cards) from 2013 Bowman Chrome Draft Picks & Prospects is my best value recommendation based on the number of graded copies and price. Unlike most of the cards on this list, this set was not offered in big box retail stores (like Walmart or Target) and could only be purchased in hobby shops or online. In most cases, this means fewer cards are printed for hobby-exclusive releases compared to sets with retail formats.

According to PSA, there are less than 3,500 examples of this card authenticated by the company and less than 1,500 have received a Gem Mint 10 grade. Since the card’s grading population is relatively low for today’s standards, raw copies will cost you around $150. (For comparison, there are around 10,000 PSA graded examples of the aforementioned 2017 Topps #287 and more than 5,000 PSA 10s.)

This set also offers numerous refractors and autograph variations that I’d highly consider if you really want to splurge. In 2022, the year he won his first AL MVP award, Judge’s Bowman Chrome DPP Superfractor 1/1 Autograph sold for over $300,000.

More expensive variations and parallels: Refractor, Blue (/99), Green (/75), Gold (/50), Black (/35), Orange (/25), Red Ice (/25), Purple Ice (/10), Orange Ice (/5), Red (/5), Black Ice (1/1), Superfractor (1/1), Printing Plate (1/1)

Note: there is also a mini version of this card that sells for less than the full-sized version.

2017 Topps Chrome #169 rookie card

First released in 1996, Topps Chrome has lit up collectors eyes’ with shiny metallic cardstock and rainbow refractor parallels. Experienced collectors know that Aaron Judge’s 2017 Topps Chrome #169 is his most popular rookie card.

To go with that high demand, it has the highest PSA 10 population on this list with over 6,500 copies graded in Gem Mint condition (but fewer total PSA-graded examples than the paper #287 at less than 9,000). The Chrome base rookie card is a logical starting point for novice or experienced collectors, but the Refractor or Prism Refractor are solid alternatives for those who prefer more limited parallel cards. PSA 10 sales of the base card are currently around $200 as of this writing.

More expensive variations and parallels: Refractor, Negative Refractor, Pink Refractor, Sepia Refractor, Prism Refractor, X-Fractor, Image Variation, Purple Refractor (/250), Blue Refractor (/150), Green Refractor (/99), Blue Wave Refractor (/75), Gold Refractor (/50), Gold Wave Refractor (/50), Orange Refractor (/25), Red Refractor (/5), Printing Plates (1/1), Superfractor (1/1)

Best high-end (~$500+) Aaron Judge cards

This is a category for collectors looking to acquire the most desired Judge cards on the market.

2017 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #AJ rookie card

Topps Heritage is praised as one of the go-to baseball card sets for rookie autographs. One of the major selling points to Aaron Judge’s 2017 Topps Heritage “Real One” Autographs is that his signature is directly on the card. This may seem like no biggie, but “on-card autographs” are highly desired because many of the signatures in modern collecting come in the form of the player signing a sticker, which is then affixed to the card. It’s just not the same as the player signing the card itself.

2017 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs come in two variations: a base card auto in blue ink and a parallel red ink autograph limited to 68 copies (2017 Topps Heritage harkened back to the 1968 Topps set design). The base auto in various grades is currently selling for over $2,000.That said, I wouldn’t consider this the priciest Aaron Judge card on the market, but it has my vote as his best rookie autograph card.

2017 Topps Chrome Sapphire Edition #287 rookie card

Aaron Judge’’s 2017 Topps Chrome Sapphire Edition #287 is his most expensive base rookie card and is also known for its extreme rarity. 2017 Topps Chrome Sapphire Baseball was released as a premium box set featuring 700 blue sapphire chrome cards, five rookie autographs, 13 parallel cards, and two Superfractor 1/1 parallel cards. Back then, Sapphire could only be purchased as an online exclusive and was a limited release of 250 sets — meaning there were only 250 copies of Aaron Judge’s Base Sapphire RC ever produced. A raw version of this card was purchased for $750 in July, while a Gem Mint PSA 10 example sold for $2,500 in August. I consider this the holy grail of Aaron Judge base rookie cards.

Two other cool Aaron Judge Cards

2021 and 2022 Panini Absolute Kaboom!

Topps has the exclusive MLB trading card license, meaning they are the only card manufacturer that can print Major League team names and logos on their trading cards. Unlicensed cards, like those produced by Panini for baseball, generally garner lower collector interest, but some cards can overcome their unofficial status with an eye-catching design and that’s the case with the Kaboom! inserts. Even more highly sought-after in Panini’s NFL and NBA sets, where they do have league licenses (for the time being), Kaboom! cards have become some of the most popular inserts of the modern era thanks in part to their relative scarcity and comic-book style design. Judge was featured in both the 2021 and 2022 Kaboom! checklists and it’s a perfect fit for a player who has become synonymous with hitting home runs.

2021 Topps Now Field of Dreams Game Autograph and Corn Stalk Relic

In 2021, the Yankees and White Sox played a regular season game at the filming site for the 1989 baseball classic “Field of Dreams.” Judge hit two homers into the cornfield in that game and to mark the occasion, Topps Now — a print-on-demand product used to quickly commemorate milestones and significant performances — produced an autographed Judge card that also featured an MLB authenticated “game-used corn stalk.” Cards featuring pieces of memorabilia have become commonplace in the hobby, but the game-used corn stalk is an unusual one.

Getting the best price

Prices for a certain trading card can vary wildly and fluctuate quickly, making it important to check recent sales of a given card to make sure you’re buying at a fair value. You can check recent sales of an item on eBay by selecting the “sold items” filter on search results. You can also run a search on 130point.com, which is a free site that provides sales data from a number of online marketplaces. There are also several apps that provide more in-depth sales data, often charging subscription fees for full access.

To account for outliers, it’s important to take multiple previous sales into account, not just the single most recent. It’s also important to note the recency of those sales and any real-world factors that could affect changes in value.

Why you should trust us

As a second-generation collector (thanks to his dad’s lifelong passion for sports collectibles), Tyler Holzhammer started collecting cards and attending the National Sports Collectors Convention at 10 years old. He’s continued his passion as a collector into a career, providing sports card content and market analysis for companies like Sports Card Investor and Goldin Auctions. Tyler’s sports card collection is centered around players from his favorite teams, the Los Angeles Rams and the St. Louis Cardinals.

How we selected these cards

We utilize marketplace research databases that provide sports card analysis and sales information, such as eBay’s Terapeak product research tool and CardLadder. We recommended this list of cards by analyzing the values, sales volume, set popularity, and grading population of over a dozen different Aaron Judge rookie cards, while also incorporating the personal preference of an experienced collector.

The Athletic maintains full editorial independence in all our coverage. When you click or make purchases through our links, we may earn a commission.

Italy win over Mexico sends Team USA to WBC quarterfinals

Published

3 hours ago

March 12, 2026

Press Room

Italy win over Mexico sends Team USA to WBC quarterfinals

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Team USA can breathe a sigh of relief, and they can thank Team Italy, the squad that put their World Baseball Classic hopes in limbo, after their win over Team Mexico on Tuesday night.

With Italy’s 9-1 victory at Daikin Park, they have won Pool B with a perfect 4-0 record and earned a spot in the WBC quarterfinals.

But Italy also ensured that Team USA’s run in the tournament continues despite handing the star-studded group a shocking 8-6 defeat on Monday night.

Vinnie Pasquantino of Italy hits a solo home run in the 6th inning against Mexico during the 2026 World Baseball Classic – Pool B at Daikin Park on March 11, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Houston Astros/Getty Images)

Team USA knew going into this game they would be big fans of Italy, one of the more surprising teams of the tournament thus far, but a thrill to watch. They have the fun espresso home run celebration, which has been used a ton including Tuesday night’s game, and a mixture of veterans and top prospects who have been giving their pool fits on the field.

However, Vinnie Pasquantino, the team’s captain who stars for the Kansas City Royals, came into this contest without a single hit through three games. Luckily for Italy – and indirectly the U.S. – his first three hits of the tournament were difference makers.

Pasquantino belted three solo home runs in the win, marking the first time in WBC history that a player went yard three times in a single game.

TEAM USA’S WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC HOPES TAKE MASSIVE HIT WITH ITALY UPSET

He got Team Italy on the board first in the top of the second, hitting a 342-foot blast to right field. Then, in the top of the sixth inning, he hit a towering shot that stayed fair down the right field line to take a free trip around the bases again.

As he stepped to the plate in the top of the eighth inning, Pasquantino, already two espresso shots deep after his first two longballs, got just enough to get it over the right-field fence one last time.

Jon Berti of the Italy reacts after hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning against Mexico during the 2026 World Baseball Classic – Pool B at Daikin Park on March 11, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Houston Astros/Getty Images)

But, just like the other three games, there wasn’t only one Italy hitter showcasing his power. Jon Berti, who has had a great tournament thus far, made use of the Crawford boxes in left field, hitting one just far enough in the top of the fourth inning to extend Italy’s lead to 2-0.

Meanwhile, Mexico couldn’t get the bats going against veteran hurler Aaron Nola, the reliable Philadelphia Phillies starter who had his patented knuckle-curve working in Houston. He tossed five innings, allowing just four hits while striking out five over 69 pitches.

The game started to get away from Mexico, too, in the top of the fifth inning, when nine-hitter Dante Nori dropped a perfect sacrifice bunt that scored Pasquantino’s Royals teammate, Jac Caglianone, to make it a 3-0 game. Then, Miami Marlins outfielder Jakob Marsee came in clutch with a two-out, bases-loaded single that scored two runners before he was picked off at first base to end the inning.

With a 7-0 lead, Mexico, facing desperation, saw some offensive life in the bottom of the seventh with bases loaded and no outs. But after Alek Thomas’ groundout to first, and Rowdy Tellez hitting a liner right at Pasquantino for the second out, Jarren Duran struck out as they were only able to get one run out of a potentially game-changing situation.

Vinnie Pasquantino of Italy runs the bases after hitting a home run in the sixth inning against Mexico during the 2026 World Baseball Classic between Italy and Mexico at Daikin Park on March 11, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)

Pasquantino’s third home run flipped momentum right back to Team Italy, and they rode it into the final frame where they sealed victory.

As Italy soars into the quarterfinals, Mexico is eliminated as their players will head back to their respective big league camps to finish out spring training.

Team USA’s quarterfinal matchup will be against Team Canada, the winners of Pool A, at 8 p.m. ET in Daikin Park on March 13.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

Sports

High school baseball and softball: Wednesday’s scores

Published

4 hours ago

March 12, 2026

Press Room

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL, SOFTBALL SCORES
Wednesday’s Results

BASEBALL

CITY SECTION
Bell 4, San Pedro 0
Carson 7, Granada Hills 5
Chatsworth 1, Sylmar 0
East Valley 15, Panorama 4
Hollywood 12, RFK Community 4
LA Wilson 26, Contreras 0
Locke 22, Animo Venice 2
Monroe 3, Eagle Rock 1
Rancho Cucamonga 5, Huntington Park 0
San Fernando 9, Cleveland 5
SOCES 12, Northridge Academy 2
South Gate 22, Marquez 0

SOUTHERN SECTION
Alemany 6, Crespi 0
Arlington 5, Liberty 0
Arroyo 4, Rio Hondo Prep 0
Beckman 8, Tustin 0
Bellflower 12, Paramount 1
Beverly Hills 6, Shalhevet 0
Bonita 8, Santa Fe 0
Burbank Providence 14, Santa Monica Pacifica Christian 1
Campbell Hall 21, Grant 1
Cantwell-Sacred Heart 8, Bishop Montgomery 6
Carpinteria 5, Nordhoff 4
Castaic 10, Saugus 9
Century 4, Laguna Hills 3
Chino Hills 16, Riverside Prep 7
Claremont 7, Charter Oak 4
Coachella Valley 6, Banning 5
Dana Hills 8, Great Oak 6
Desert Hot Springs 7, Desert Christian Academy 3
Eastvale Roosevelt 14, Patriot 0
El Rancho 4, Whittier 0
El Segundo 3, Wiseburn-Da Vinci 1
Elsinore 3, Maranatha Christian 2
Etiwanda 4, Rancho Cucamonga 1
Fullerton 19, Segerstrom 2
Glendora 4, Downey 1
Grace 10, Oak Park 0
Hart 15, Canyon Country Canyon 2
Harvard-Westlake 6, Sierra Canyon 0
Hemet 3, Canyon Springs 2
Highland 7, Palmdale 1
Hueneme 8, Fillmore 0
Huntington Beach 13, Edison 3
Irvine University 13, St. Margaret’s 0
Knight 10, Eastside 7
Lakeside 3, Orange Vista 2
Lakewood 14, Westminster 1
Lancaster 13, Antelope Valley 0
La Serna 12, California 2
La Sierra 11, San Gorgonio 0
Linfield Christian 5, Murrieta Valley 2
Long Beach Cabrillo 6, Bosco Tech 4
Long Beach Poly 7, Cerritos 6
Los Alamitos 9, Fountain Valley 5
Loyola 8, Chaminade 0
Miller 13, Norte Vista 4
Mira Costa 6, Torrance 4
Moreno Valley 14, Heritage 2
Murrieta Mesa 8, Fallbrook 4
Newport Beach 11, Marina 2
Nogales 5, Baldwin Park 4
Norco 3, Gahr 0
North Torrance 12, New Roads 3
Northwood 5, Irvine 3
Paloma Valley 7, Riverside Poly 6
Pioneer 14, El Monte 1
Quart Hill 17, Littlerock 0
Rancho Alamitos 20, Garden Grove Santiago 15
Rancho Christian 13, Hillcrest 0
Rancho Mirage 2, Beaumont 1
Rancho Verde 7, Riverside Notre Dame 2
Redlands Adventist 13, Desert Chapel 3
Riverside King 10, Riverside North 3
San Clemente 7, Vista Murrieta 3
Santa Monica 3, Newbury Park 1
Santa Paula 12, Malibu 1
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 6, St. Francis 2
South Torrance 5, Peninsula 4
St. John Bosco 11, Damien 0
Sunny Hills 5, Orange 1
Thousand Oaks 11, Camarillo 1
Upland 5, Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 1
Valley View 7, Citrus Hill 1
Vista del Lago 13, Perris 9
West Covina 15, Rosemead 5
West Ranch 15, Golden Valley 1
Woodbridge 3, Laguna Beach 2
Woodcrest Christian 11, Rialto 2

INTERSECTIONAL
Campbell Hall 21, Grant 1
United Christian Academy 14, Public Safety Academy
West Torrance 7, Venice 1

SOFTBALL

CITY SECTION
Birmingham 25, SOCES 0
Eagle Rock 9, Cleveland 5
Fairfax 22, Contreras 21
Franklin 8, Orthopaedic 4
LA Wilson 18, Narbonne 10
Marquez 5, Port of LA 4
Middle College 33, Discovery 15
Newbury Park 17, Van Nuys 0
Sun Valley Poly 9, Taft 3
West Adams 17, RFK Community 2

SOUTHERN SECTION
Agoura 3, Oak Park 0
Arroyo 15, Rowland 12
Azusa 14, Garey 3
Baldwin Park 20, Nogales 8
Buena 30, Hueneme 1
Buena Park 14, Loara 4
Chaparral 19, Woodrest Christian 6
Claremont 7, Chino 3
Colony 23, Fontana 0
Colton 12, University Prep 0
Corona Santiago 17, San Dimas 16
CSDR 18, Indian Springs 17
Desert Hot Springs 18, Desert Christian Academy 8
Eastvale Roosevelt 8, Arlington 1
Flintridge Sacred Heart 7, Flintridge Prep 5
Glendora 10, Muir 2
Huntington Park 7, Gahr 3
Lakeside 29, California Military Institute 2
Lakewood 6, Hemet 3
Lawndale 33, Hoover 10
Los Osos 8, Northview 1
Lynwood 17, Animo Leadership 5
Maranatha 8, Culver City 6
Monrovia 15, West Covina 5
Ocean View 12, Westminster La Quinta 2
Orange 22, Godinez Fundamental 5
Pacific 14, Norte Vista 10
Paloma Valley 8, San Jacinto 0
Patriot 8, Canyon Springs 1
Peninsula 27, Beverly Hills 2
Rancho Cucamonga 30, Miller 1
Redondo Union 25, Long Beach Jordan 0
Riverside Poly 13, Orange Vista 3
RSCSM 28, Noli Indian 3
San Bernardino 12, Visa del Lago 2
San Juan Hills 3, Capistrano Valley 2
Sierra Vista 12, Duarte 6
Southlands Christian 9, El Monte 7
Temescal Canyon 10, Murrieta Valley 9
Tesoro 5, Northwood 4
Vasquez 15, Westridge 4
Western Christian 16, Summit 5
Yucaipa 14, Liberty 9

INTERSECTIONAL
Animo Watts 13, Locke 3
El Camino Real 7, La Canada 3
Newbury Park 17, Van Nuys 0
Palos Verdes 8, San Pedro 0
Pasadena Marshall 18, Fulton 1
Santa Monica 2, Carson 1
South Torrance 8, Venice 2
United Christian Academy 22, Public Safety Academy 0
West Torrance 9, Wilmington Banning 2
Wilmington Banning 10, Wiseburn-Da Vinci 0

Sports

Brooke Slusser sparks liberal social media meltdown by speaking about SJSU transgender volleyball scandal

Published

15 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Brooke Slusser sparks liberal social media meltdown by speaking about SJSU transgender volleyball scandal

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Left-wing social media users launched a volley of insults at 23-year-old Brooke Slusser in recent days.

In response, dozens of high-profile women’s rights activists have come to the former San Jose State University volleyball player’s defense.

Slusser has addressed the critics herself in a statement to Fox News Digital.

“I would just say people that don’t know my life or my trauma don’t have room to say how good or bad my time at SJSU was. I hope they never have to understand going through something as awful as that,” she said.

She has also acknowledged the responses in a series of TikTok posts, as she has become more active on the platform this week to speak about her alleged experience at SJSU.

The online hate campaign started after Slusser shared details about living arrangements in the same apartment with transgender volleyball teammate Blaire Fleming while at San Jose State university, in an interview with Fox News Digital.

During the interview, she said, “You find out you’re just chilling in a bed with a man that you have no idea about… I [was] unknowingly sharing a bed at that time with a man,” and alleged SJSU volleyball coach Todd Kress encouraged her to live in the same apartment as the trans teammate when another group of players were also looking for a final tenant.

The fallout of the interview has prompted high-profile activists, lawmakers and even an actor to speak out, taking a side behind or against Slusser.

Many critics echoed the sentiment that “nothing bad” happened to Slusser, despite the fact that the anxiety from the situation ultimately led to her developing an eating disorder and not being able to complete her college degree.

Former “Glee” actor Kevin McHale even appeared to mock Slusser’s appearance.

A coalition of “save women’s sports” activists rushed to Slusser’s defense, with OutKick host Riley Gaines, XX-XY Athletics founder Jennifer Sey, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., women’s tennis legend Martina Navratilova and former ESPN star Sage Steele leading the charge to defend Slusser from the pro-trans detractors.

“Brooke has every right to feel violated. This is a violation of her personal space and boundaries. She was lied to. She would not have agreed to room with or play with a man,” Sey wrote in response to one critic.

Navratilova wrote in response to that same critic, “Brooke has every right to be mad. Try again with the punishment wish…”

Slusser finds herself at the center of a sports culture war flashpoint at a time when the conflict over her school’s handling of her transgender former teammate has reached a political impasse.

‘HORRIBLE’ MOMENTS EXPOSED FOR UNR VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS WHEN THEY WERE ROPED INTO THE SJSU TITLE IX SCANDAL

After the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) announced at the end of January that an investigation into the university for its handling of a trans athlete and other players concluded that the school violated Title IX, SJSU and the California State University system declined to resolve the violation.

Instead, SJSU President Cynthia Teniente-Matson announced Friday that the school and the California State University (CSU) system are suing the federal government to challenge the investigation.

“Because we believe OCR’s findings aren’t grounded in the facts or the law, SJSU and the CSU filed a lawsuit today against the federal government to challenge those findings and prevent the federal government from taking punitive action against the university, including the potential withholding of critical federal funding,” Teniente-Matson said Friday.

“This is not a step we take lightly. However, we have a responsibility to defend the integrity of our institution and the rule of law, while ensuring that every member of our community is treated fairly and in accordance with the law. Our position is simple: We have followed the law and cannot be punished for doing so.”

The school is also requesting that OCR rescind its findings and close its investigation.

Teniente-Matson affirmed the university’s commitment to defending the LGBTQ community in the announcement.

“Our support for the LGBTQ members of our community, who have experienced threats and harms over the last several years, remains unwavering. We know the attention the university has received around this issue and the investigative process that followed have been unsettling for many in our community,” the university president said.

Among ED’s findings, it determined that a female athlete discovered that the trans student allegedly conspired to have a member of an opposing team spike her in the face during a match. The department claims “SJSU did not investigate the conspiracy, but later subjected the female athlete to a Title IX complaint for ‘misgendering’ the male athlete in online videos and interviews.”

Slusser alleged in a November 2024 lawsuit against the Mountain West that she and former assistant coach Melissa Batie-Smoose were made aware of a meeting between Fleming and Colorado State women’s volleyball player Malaya Jones on Oct. 2, 2024, during which Fleming discussed a plan with Jones to have Slusser spiked in the face during a match the following night.

Slusser’s own lawsuit partially survived motions to dismiss last week as well.

Colorado District Judge Kato Crews dismissed all the plaintiffs’ charges against the Mountain West Conference but did not dismiss charges of Title IX violations against the CSU system.

Crews deferred his ruling on whether to dismiss those charges until after a decision in the ongoing B.P.J. v. West Virginia Supreme Court case, which is expected in June.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Brooke Slusser #10 and Blaire Fleming #3 of the San Jose State Spartans call a play during the first set against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym on October 19, 2024 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. (Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)

The CSU provided a statement to Fox News Digital in response to Crews’ ruling.

“CSU is pleased with the court’s ruling. SJSU has complied with Title IX and all applicable law, and it will continue to do so,” the statement said.

The outcomes of the lawsuits by and against SJSU on this issue could ultimately set a consequential precedent for the future of women’s sports in America.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.