The Nevada women’s volleyball team held a vote among players and voted to forfeit an Oct. 26 match against San Jose State and transgender player Blaire Fleming, OutKick has exclusively learned.
The Nevada athletic department said in an exclusive statement to OutKick on Oct. 3 that the team would play the scheduled match. However, the school did not consult with the players before making that statement.
“The University of Nevada volleyball team remains focused on its upcoming matches with UNLV and San Diego State and intends to play its remaining Mountain West schedule, including the match with San José State University on October 26,” the statement read.
“The University will continue to abide by the NCAA, Mountain West Conference and USA Volleyball rules and regulations as well as the laws and Constitution of the State of Nevada.”
The University of Nevada issued a statement about its October 26 women’s volleyball match against San Jose State and transgender player Blaire Fleming without consulting members of the team.
(University of Nevada Athletics)
But most of the Nevada players did not agree with the decision made by the school and decided to take matters into their own hands.
“We, the University of Nevada Reno women’s volleyball team, forfeit against San Jose State University and stand united in solidarity with the volleyball teams of Southern Utah University, Boise State University, the University of Wyoming, and Utah State University,” the team wrote in an exclusive statement to OutKick.
“We demand that our right to safety and fair competition on the court be upheld. We refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes.”
Riley Gaines, host of the OutKick podcast “Gaines for Girls” and one of the most influential pro-woman voices in the country, lauded the Nevada team for their bravery.
“When college athletes have to vote on whether to play the sport they received scholarships for, it’s a clear sign that the adults responsible for protecting them have failed,” Gaines said in a statement to OutKick.
“I applaud these athletes for setting boundaries and prioritizing their safety over victory. They’ve shown far more courage and leadership than the president of the university and the President of this country.
“A movement is forming, where athletes take control of their future, reminding us that what’s being called ‘progressive’ is actually taking us back in time.”
Sia Liilii, a senior and one of two captains on the team, told OutKick that players were frustrated when they found out that the school had committed them to playing the match without speaking to them.
“The school released that statement without consulting our team at all,” Liilii said. “We were pretty upset that we were not made aware that a statement was going to come out.”
Nevada senior Sia Liilii told OutKick that players were upset and frustrated when the school committed them to playing against San Jose State and transgender player Blaire Fleming without consulting the team.
(University of Nevada Athletics)
The senior outside hitter also noted that the timing of the statement couldn’t have been worse.
“We were actually in Las Vegas preparing for our match against UNLV, our in-state rival,” she said. “It was a really frustrating time, especially because we were about to go and play a big game.”
Nevada lost to UNLV, 3-2, although Liilii acknowledged that the statement release did not affect the team’s performance.
The senior told OutKick that players and coaches had a meeting the day after the match against UNLV to talk about the statement that the school released.
She said that players decided they wanted time to think about what they wanted to do.
This week, the team came together again and made the decision to forfeit their match against San Jose State.
“We decided that we’re going to stand in solidarity with other teams that have already forfeited and that we wouldn’t participate in a game that advances sex-based discrimination or injustice against female athletes,” Liilii said.
Despite University of Nevada officials declaring the volleyball team would play San Jose State and transgender player Blaire Fleming, players voted to forfeit the October 26 match.
(University of Nevada Athletics & San Jose State University Athletics)
Nevada is the fifth school to cancel a match this season against San Jose State and the fourth Mountain West team to forfeit rather than face transgender opponent Blaire Fleming.
Southern Utah became the first school to cancel its match against San Jose State last month when it backed out of a scheduled contest at the Santa Clara Tournament.
Nevada joined Boise State, Wyoming and Utah State as schools from the Mountain West to accept a loss rather than play their scheduled match.
While Liilii acknowledged the potential for negative backlash due to the team’s decision, they decided it was worth it to stand up for what they believe in.
“It’s definitely something that we’ve talked about as a team, but we’ve always come back to the fact that we believe that women deserve fair competition and our rights to opportunity,” she said.
OutKick reached out to the University of Nevada to request comment on the decision made by the players. We will update if/when the school returns our message.
The Mountain West Conference has repeatedly told OutKick that the forfeits are “institutional decisions” and the conference has no plans, currently, to adjust their procedures despite the multiple cancelations.
The Mountain West has remained relatively quiet about San Jose State volleyball and transgender player Blaire Fleming, despite four schools forfeiting conference matches in the past two weeks.
(Getty Images & San Jose State Athletics)
The conference’s latest statement to OutKick, sent on Oct. 3:
“Per Mountain West policy, these are institutional decisions, and questions should be directed to the institutions. The forfeits are following the current policy and will be accounted for in the conference standings,” conference spokesperson Javan Hedlund wrote via email.
OutKick reached out to the Mountain West after the Nevada announcement to ask if a fourth school forfeiting a match had changed the conference’s position.
They did not immediately respond to our request.
Mojave (Nev.) head football coach Wes Pacheco announced on Sunday morning that he’s stepping down from his position, according to a social media post.
Pacheco announced his resignation after six seasons at the helm of the Rattlers, putting together a 29-22 overall record from 2020-2025.
“I have officially stepped down as Head Coach of the Mojave Football Program,” Pacheco said in his social media post. “Thank you to Principal Cole for giving me the opoortunity make an impact on the lives of Mojave Student-Athletes. I am grateful and blessed to have labored through a 6-year journey of successes, failures, life lessons, character building and growth with the student-athletes myself and my coaching staff have served. I will forever love my Mojave Family, the Mojave Community and believe in the notion that SUCCESS can be attained by showcasing character, treating everyone with respect, and always have the courage to dream big and trust that “ATTACKING THE HARD WORK” & “HIGH MOTORING EVERYTHING” can yield SUCCESS that you want to achieve in life!”
During Pacheco’s half dozen seasons leading Mojave, his best record came in the 2024 season when the Rattlers finished with a 12-1 record. Located out of North Las Vegas, Mojave had to compete against the likes of national high school football powerhouse Bishop Gorman during the regular season.
Mojave ended the last season with a 4-6 record and as the state’s No. 23rd ranked team, according to the final 2025 Nevada High School Football Massey Rankings.
Mojave High School, located in North Las Vegas, NV, is a dynamic public high school that fosters academic excellence, personal growth, and community involvement. Home of the Rattlers, MHS offers a wide range of academic programs, athletics, and extracurricular activities. With a strong commitment to student success, Mojave emphasizes leadership, college and career readiness, and a supportive school culture that prepares students for life beyond graduation.
For Nevada high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Silver State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the high school football excitement across Nevada.
A recent Review-Journal letter to the editor mischaracterized Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto’s Southern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act, also known as the Clark County Lands bill. As the former executive director of the Nevada Conservation League, I wholeheartedly support this legislation, so I wanted to set the record straight.
Sen. Cortez Masto has been working on this bill for years in partnership with state and local governments, conservation groups like the NCL and local area tribes. It’s true that the Clark County lands bill would open 25,000 acres to help Las Vegas grow responsibly, while setting aside 2 million acres for conservation. It would also help create more affordable housing throughout the valley while ensuring our treasured public spaces can be preserved for generations to come.
What is not correct is that the money from these land sales would go to the federal government’s coffers. In fact, the opposite is true.
The 1998 Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act is a landmark bill that identified specific public land for future sale and created a special account ensuring all land sale revenues would come back to Nevada. In accordance with that law 5 percent of revenue from land transfers goes to the state of Nevada for general education purposes, 10 percent goes to the Southern Nevada Water Authority for needed water infrastructure and 85 percent supports conservation and environmental mitigation projects in Southern Nevada. This legislation has provided billions to Clark County and will continue to benefit generations of Southern Nevadans. Sen. Cortez Masto’s lands bill builds upon the act’s success.
So here’s the good news: All of the money generated from land made available for sale under Sen. Cortez Masto’s bill would be sent to the special account created by the 1998 law. Rather than going to an unaccountable federal government, the proceeds would continue to help kids in Vegas get a better education, bolster outdoor recreation and modernize Southern Nevada’s infrastructure.
I know how important it is that money generated from the sale of public land in Nevada stay in the hands of Nevadans, and so does the senator. That’s why she opposed a Republican effort last year to sell off 200,000 acres of land in Clark County and other areas of the country that would have sent those dollars directly to Washington.
Public land management in Nevada should benefit Nevadans. We should protect sacred cultural sites and beloved recreation spaces, responsibly transfer land for affordable housing when needed and ensure our state has the resources it needs to grow sustainably. I will continue working with Sen. Cortez Masto to advocate for legislation, such as the Clark County lands bill, that puts the needs of Nevadans first.
Paul Selberg writes from Las Vegas.
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Las Vegas High’s baseball team claimed a 3-2 home win over Coronado on Friday.
Las Vegas (9-13-1) next hosts Rancho at 10 a.m. Saturday. Coronado (13-14) hosts Chaparral at 3:30 p.m. Monday.
Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.
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