West
San Jose State volleyball coach with transgender player says politics plays into opponents forfeiting
The San Jose State women’s volleyball team lost to Colorado State on Thursday night in one of its rare non-cancelled games in recent weeks. Head coach Todd Kress said he even considered thanking Colorado State coach Emily Kohan just for agreeing to play his team, as the program is currently at the center of a national controversy.
Four of San Jose State’s scheduled opponents – Boise State, Southern Utah, Wyoming and Utah State – all forfeited their games to the Spartans amid an ongoing lawsuit by one of its players over the presence of a transgender player on the team.
“I walked up to Emily tonight, and I was like, ‘Should I say thank you for playing us?’ I seriously meant that because, of course, we’re disappointed that we’re losing opportunities to play, but it’s not just us that are losing opportunities to play. It’s the people choosing not to play us, and that’s very unfortunate when it comes to these young women that have earned the right to step on the court and play,” Kress said in a postgame press conference, as seen in documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
Colorado State University police behind the San Jose State University Spartans’ bench monitor Moby Arena during an NCAA Mountain West women’s volleyball game between the Spartans and the Colorado State Rams in Fort Collins, Colo., on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024.
San Jose Redshirt junior Blaire Fleming, who had 14 kills but with 10 errors on Thursday night, is a transgender athlete who has played for San Jose State since 2022 after transferring from Coastal Carolina. Meanwhile, junior Brooke Slusser, who joined the team in 2023 after transferring from Alabama, joined in a lawsuit against the NCAA, headed by former college swimmer and OutKick contributor Riley Gaines, over the governing body’s current policies on gender identity. Slusser cited her experience with Fleming when she joined the lawsuit.
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL TEAM WITH TRANSGENDER PLAYER GETTING POLICE PROTECTION AMID INTENSE BACKLASH
Slusser claimed that she had not been aware that Fleming was transgender, despite sharing rooms together on team trips, per the court documents. Slusser also expressed safety concerns for opponents playing against Fleming. Slusser’s complaint said that she and the other players on the team “could not fully protect themselves” from Fleming’s volleyball spikes.
Idaho governor Brad Little, Utah governor Spencer Cox and Wyoming governor Mark Gordon commended the four universities in their respective states over the decisions to forfeit their games against San Jose State amid the controversy.
Kress said he believes that the role of government has impeded his team’s ability to play the matches on its schedule.
“We’re in a position where it appears that government and politics has kind of intertwined itself with college sports. And the one thing that I love about college sports, it’s always been a safe haven for me, that’s one area that government I don’t think should be involved. And it seems that some of those decisions are being made at levels to where they’re denying their student athletes as well, which is then denying our student athletes,” Kress said.
Many states have taken legislative action over the past year aimed to keep transgenders out of women’s sports, including the Defending Women’s Sports Act, which Little issued an executive order for his states to carry out in August.
However, most of these actions are in response to attempted Title IX changes by the Biden-Harris administration. In April, the Biden administration issued a sweeping rule that clarified that Title IX’s ban on “sex” discrimination in schools covers discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation and “pregnancy or related conditions.”
GOP GOVERNOR REVEALS WHY HE ORDERED SCHOOLS TO BAR TRANSGENDERS FROM GIRLS SPORTS
U.S. President Joe Biden holds hands with Vice President Kamala Harris (R) during a ceremony honoring the Golden State Warriors on January 17, 2023, in Washington, D.C. The Warriors won the 2022 NBA Championship. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
The rule took effect Aug. 1, and, for the first time, the law stated that discrimination based on sex includes conduct related to a person’s gender identity. The Biden administration insisted that the regulation does not address athletic eligibility. However, multiple experts presented evidence to Fox News Digital in June that Biden’s claims that it would not result in biological men participating in women’s sports weren’t true and that the proposal would ultimately put more biological men in women’s sports.
The Supreme Court voted 5-4 to reject a Biden emergency request to enforce portions of that new rule that includes protection from discrimination for transgender students under Title IX, after more than two dozen Republican attorneys general sued to block the Title IX changes in their own states.
Now, with states like Idaho taking countermeasures against these amendments, Little may have to prepare for even further countermeasures at the federal level in the event of a Harris victory this November.
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” Little told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview when asked whether he expects a Harris victory to result in his schools losing federal funding due to the order he just passed. “From a national standpoint, there are radical little groups that want to implement changes in the rules that we have already.”
Meanwhile, Kress will look to navigate his team’s season in a landscape of different state laws impacting his team’s schedule. Kress added that the situation involving the game cancelations, the lawsuit and national controversy have impacted the mental well-being not only of Fleming, but the team as a whole.
One of Fleming’s teammates joined several other female athletes in suing the NCAA for Title IX violations. (San Jose State University)
“I talked to all of our students. You know, I am a father first, right? I had two boys of my own, and I know that mental health is a real thing, and I know that my kids get through it, and so I think that’s the first thing I look out for, is protecting physical and mental health. Do I talk with Blaire? She is taking the majority of the heat, but all of our athletes are taking some of this. So, you know, I’m really trying to talk to all of our student athletes and see how they’re doing,” Kress said.
Things have gotten to the point where university police have been assigned to provide added security to the team in response to negative attention it has received recently, a San Jose State spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Thursday.
Blaire Fleming, a redshirt senior at San Jose State University, plays as an outside and right-side hitter on the women’s volleyball team. (San Jose State University)
Still, San Jose State was technically undefeated going into Thursday night, as the forfeits by the other programs counted as wins for the Spartans by default. They are now 9-1 with a 3-1 conference record. The forfeits don’t count toward the team’s NCAA resume, but Fleming’s skills and spiking ability may be just one advantage that could help the team reach the tournament, as Kress believes the tension in the locker room might not be “a bad thing” from a competitive standpoint.
“Sometimes tension is not necessarily a bad thing, and I’m not saying that there is. But you know, when you do have tension or you do have confrontations, I mean, I’m a person that believes that from confrontation, good things usually happen. We settle our differences, and we work through it,” Kress said.
“The last thing that I would want is there’s the white elephant in the room, and there is no tension, we don’t address it, and we never move past it, right? So I think there may be tension, but it dies. If we’re in a meeting room and there’s tension, it dies there. If there’s tension on the court, it dies there. We really don’t let the boundaries cross over, and that’s how I think we’ve been so successful thus far.”
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SALT LAKE CITY –– Owners Ryan and Ashley Smith held a press conference Monday after going over the plan for the Utah Hockey Club’s Inaugural Game Celebration.
Before opening the season against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday (10 p.m. ET; ESPN+, ESPN, SN, TVAS), Utah will host several events outside Delta Center.
The Smiths and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman will hold a press conference at 2:30 p.m. ET. ESPN will begin broadcasting live from an open-air set at 4. Fan activities will start at 6, including DJs, games and concessions.
Players will walk in on a Mountain Blue carpet and be welcomed by youth hockey players at 7, followed by a concert by country music artist Shaboozey at 7:30 and a flyover of four F-35A jets from Hill Air Force Base in Utah at 8:30.
Fans without tickets can stay for a watch party. Those inside Delta Center will receive special rally towels and T-shirts on their seats. Everyone will see a special puck drop and more pregame entertainment.
“We’re just trying to have a fun event that everyone in the community’s going to remember,” Ryan Smith said. “It’s not more complicated than that. This is a moment that speaks for itself. Everyone knows it’s coming. We get to do it once, and so I think that it’s just a pretty cool opportunity that we get a chance to host.
“I think from our team standpoint, they’re probably going to be the ones who enjoy it the least, and so I hope all of them get a moment to kind of take it in and realize, like, what they’ve been able to create in a 5 1/2-month period, which is pretty crazy.”
Smith Entertainment Group, which also includes the NBA’s Utah Jazz, has embraced the challenge since the NHL established the new franchise in Utah on April 18.
Utah acquired the hockey assets of the Arizona Coyotes franchise, which became inactive due to the arena situation. The team flew executives, coaches, players and staff to Salt Lake City for a tour and a welcome event at Delta Center on April 24.
In a matter of months, SEG did initial renovations of Delta Center while planning for more extensive renovations in the future, built a temporary practice facility while breaking ground on a permanent facility, designed inaugural uniforms while working on a permanent brand identity, and much, much more.
“It’s just been all hands on deck, and I think it’s been pretty miraculous, like it’s kind of meant to be because of the way it’s lined up,” Ryan Smith said at the Zions Bank Basketball Campus, the Jazz practice facility.
Ashley Smith credited the people and culture at SEG.
“Things that could feel like chaos in another setting have felt fun and exciting,” she said. “The stress hasn’t felt heavy. It’s just been exciting, and to see this whole team come together and do unnatural things and do hard things and then celebrate each other and empower each other, it’s been really cool from my seat.”
SEG has added more than 800 people since April 18, including part-time employees. Utah has sold about 8,500 full-season-ticket equivalents, even though Delta Center has 11,131 unobstructed seats for hockey for the time being. It will have about 17,000 when renovations are complete in two or three years.
“I think given the way the arena’s set up, we’re pretty happy,” Ryan Smith said. “Actually, we’re kind of blown away with the response, to be honest.”
The Utah Hockey Club sold about $160,000 worth of merchandise at its first preseason home game, a 3-2 overtime victory against the Los Angeles Kings on Sept. 23, even though it doesn’t have jerseys for sale yet. It almost broke the record for a Jazz game at Delta Center.
Utah president of hockey operations Chris Armstrong said the team is tracking to be in the top 20 in ticket revenue and sponsorship revenue in the NHL.
Ryan Smith repeatedly emphasized that Utah is not a small market, even though the Salt Lake City metropolitan area has a population of less than 1.3 million people. He called it the fastest-growing market and the youngest demographic in the United States.
“It’s going to be very, very loud and very hard to play here,” he said. “It’s going to be a place where people come out. It’s also going to be a place where players get extremely locked in, and they’re going to have their best years of playing hockey in Utah.”
The players can’t wait.
“Everyone’s just so excited, man,” forward Lawson Crouse said. “Like, I know I keep saying that, and it’s really repetitive, but we’re counting down the hours until tomorrow.”
Coach Andre Tourigny said Utah is flying in people for the inaugural game, including pro scouts who live and work elsewhere.
“It’s not every day you can have a first time in history,” he said. “It will be the first time in history we’ll have an NHL team here in Utah, a new franchise. It’s super exciting.”
Ryan Smith talked about all the firsts that are about to happen. Someone is going to make history Tuesday. A lot of people are.
“This is a moment,” he said. “I hope everyone takes a selfie and sends it to someone.”
Kirk Ferentz on Cade McNamara after loss to Ohio State: ‘Cade will be fine’
Kirk Ferentz discusses a variety of topics after Iowa’s 35-7 loss to Ohio State.
The Iowa football team will try to get back on track when it plays host to Washington on Saturday in Iowa City. Kickoff for the Big Ten Conference game is set for 11 a.m. CT at Kinnick Stadium.
Iowa is 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the Big Ten after losing 35-7 at Ohio State on Oct. 5.
Washington is 4-2 overall and 2-1 in the Big Ten after a 27-17 home victory vs. Michigan on Oct. 5.
Here’s what you need to know about the Iowa vs. Washington matchup.
Watch Iowa vs. Washington on FUBO (free trial)
How to watch Iowa football vs Washington
TV: FOX
Streaming: FoxSports.com or FUBO (free trial)
Radio: Hawkeye Radio Network
What time does the Iowa vs Washington football game start?
Time: 11 a.m. CT on Saturday, Oct. 12
Location: Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa
What are the betting odds for Iowa vs Washington?
Betting line: Iowa is favored by 2.5 points
Over/under: 40.5
Info from BetMGM.com
A closer look at Iowa and Washington
- IOWA: The Hawkeyes suffered through a frustrating afternoon in Columbus. Trailing 7-0 at halftime, the roof caved in during the second half as quarterback Cade McNamara had three turnovers. Backup QB Brendan Sullivan led the Hawkeyes’ only touchdown drive. Iowa star running back Kaleb Johnson was held to 86 rushing yards in his home state. The good news for Iowa? The remaining seven games on the schedule appear to be winnable.
- WASHINGTON: The Huskies outgained Michigan 429-287 in total yards. Will Rogers passed for 271 yards (21-of-31, 2 TDs, 1 INT). Seven receivers caught passes for Washington, led by Keleki Latu’s 7 receptions for 65 yards. Jonah Coleman led the ground game with 80 yards on 18 carries.
Required reading for Iowa football fans
Iowa football schedule 2024
- Aug. 31: vs. Illinois State, (W, 40-0)
- Sept. 7: vs. Iowa State, (L, 20-19)
- Sept. 14: vs. Troy, (W, 38-21)
- Sept. 21: at Minnesota, (W, 31-14)
- Oct. 5: at Ohio State, (L, 35-7)
- Oct. 12: vs. Washington, 11 a.m. CT
- Oct. 19: at Michigan State, 6:30 p.m. CT
- Oct. 26: vs. Northwestern, 2:30 p.m.
- Nov. 2: vs. Wisconsin
- Nov. 8: at UCLA, 8 p.m.
- Nov. 23: at Maryland
- Nov. 29: vs. Nebraska, 6:30 p.m.
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Wyoming
Wyoming’s Rep. Chip Neiman urges SD ranchers to put pressure on officials regarding disease traceability concerns
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – Wyoming Representative Chip Neiman’s House Bill 229, which passed in the Wyoming legislature, allows livestock owners to choose how they track their animals for disease traceability purposes.
Just last week, anthrax was confirmed in a group of cattle traveling through a South Dakota auction house. South Dakota State Veterinarian Beth Thompson was able to determine which animals were exposed, and immediate action was taken.
With Monday’s Livestock Producers Freedom Rally focusing on EID tracking, Neiman stressed the importance of getting a bill similar to his passed in South Dakota to better ensure the health of livestock in the region.
”It blows me away that South Dakota, a state that is so steeped in agriculture, would struggle to be able to get this passed. It’s proved to me how important it is to be able to protect the choices and the freedoms of the people and the state of Wyoming as they saw it. We needed that latitude to be able to identify our livestock the way we saw fit,” Neiman said.
Neiman encouraged everyone in attendance to talk with local officials to push for similar legislation in South Dakota, as he says he’s seen the positive effects his bill has had on the Cowboy State.
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