West
SJSU volleyball team with trans player clinches playoff meeting vs. team that forfeited amid controversy
San Jose State’s volleyball team is currently guaranteed to face a team in the upcoming Mountain West Tournament that has already forfeited to it during the regular season.
San Jose State has had six of its conference wins this season awarded via forfeit amid a national controversy over a trans athlete on the team. With those wins, the team finished with a 12-6 conference record and has earned a first-round bye in the upcoming tournament.
Now, they are guaranteed to play the semifinal. And the opponent they are set to face in that match is guaranteed to be one of the four teams that refused to play them in the regular season. Utah State and Boise State are set to play in the quarterfinal match that will determine who faces the Spartans in the next round.
Blaire Fleming of the San Jose State Spartans reacts during the Air Force Falcons match on Oct. 19, 2024, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. (Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
Boise State was so unwilling to play San Jose State during the regular season that it forfeited two scheduled matches against the Spartans, taking a pair of conference losses on its record. Meanwhile, Utah State, which only forfeited one game, has joined a lawsuit against The Mountain West over the presence of Fleming as it seeks to have that loss restored.
On the other side of the bracket, Colorado State holds the No. 1 seed in the tournament. Colorado State played both games against San Jose State this year, as the teams split the series. Fresno State and San Diego States, two other teams that played the Spartans amid the controversy this year, will face off in the quarterfinal for the right to face Colorado State.
But there is bound to be uncertainty in San Jose State’s semifinal, regardless of what team advances to that round, under the current setup.
SJSU WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL’S 1ST OPPONENT DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT TRASN PLAYER, SUGGESTS MATCH WOULDN’T HAVE HAPPENED
Blaire Fleming of the San Jose State Spartans attacks the net against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym on Oct. 19, 2024 in Colorado Springs. (Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
Spartans co-captain Brooke Slusser, who is engaged in two lawsuits over the presence of her trans teammate Blaire Fleming, previously told Fox News Digital that her team doesn’t even know if their upcoming tournament opponents will face them.
“We’re just mostly wondering, are teams even gonna play us, period, if we go there? Because of just everything that’s happened this season,” Slusser said. “It seems like every few days it looks like it’ll be a fine day and everything’s normal and then something else happens. So, I truly do think everyone’s just kind of taking things day by day and taking the punches as they come.”
A Mountain West spokesperson previously told Fox News digital that the conference is preparing for San Jose State, and all of its opponents to compete, but also has a plan in place in the event of forfeits. That plan includes a willingness to recognize the winner of the conference final if their theoretical opponent in that game were to forfeit, the spokesperson said.
“If we get to a championship game, and it’s San Jose State vs. whoever, if that institution forfeits the game, then San Jose State wins that match, and then they are tournament champions. And they would be the automatic qualifier out of the Mountain West,” the spokesperson said.
Colorado State University police. behind the San Jose State University Spartans bench, monitor Moby Arena during an NCAA Mountain West women’s volleyball game against the Colorado State Rams in Fort Collins, Colorado, on Oct. 03, 2024. (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
However, that plan could change pending a ruling by a federal judge in Colorado after an emergency hearing on Thursday. Judge Kato Crews presided over a hearing after plaintiffs, including Utah State, contested that Fleming shouldn’t be allowed to compete in the tournament.
Crews, who was appointed by President Biden in January, dedicated the first 45 minutes of the hearing to a debate between the plaintiffs and defendants over what pronouns to use when describing Fleming and whether Fleming’s name should be used during the hearing for the sake of privacy. The judge eventually decided to use she/her pronouns when referring to Fleming but told everyone else they could use whatever pronouns they wished.
Crews concluded the hearing by saying he will deliver a ruling on the case in a “timely fashion.” The tournament is set to begin next Wednesday.
San Jose State has repeatedly defended the presence of Fleming on the team.
“Our athletes all comply with NCAA and Mountain West Conference policies and are eligible to play under the rules of those organizations. Our volleyball team members have earned the right to compete, and we are deeply disappointed for them and with them that they are being denied those opportunities through cancellations and forfeits. We are also proud of how they have persevered through these challenges on the court,” a statement provided to Fox News Digital by a university spokesperson said.
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West
UC Davis professor who posted violent threats against ‘Zionists’ keeps job after discipline
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A UC Davis professor who drew widespread backlash after posting that “Zionist journalists” and their children should fear for their lives was suspended without pay for one academic quarter and remains employed by the university.
Jemma DeCristo, an assistant professor in the American Studies program who identifies as transgender, was the subject of an internal investigation following a social media post shared days after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. The university’s investigative report, completed in June 2024, was released publicly last week in response to a public-records request, as first reported by The Chronicle of Higher Education.
On Oct. 10, 2023, DeCristo posted on X: “One group of ppl we have easy access to in the US is all these Zionist journalists who spread propaganda & misinformation… they have houses w addresses, kids in school… they can fear their bosses, but they should fear us more.” The post included emojis depicting a knife, an axe and drops of blood.
The post went viral a week later after being amplified by conservative commentators, such as the late Turning Point USA founder, Charlie Kirk, who called the professor’s post a threat of terrorism.
Charlie Kirk called attention to Jemma DeCristo’s post in October 2023. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA ORDERED TO REINSTATE LAW STUDENT WHO WAS EXPELLED AFTER ANTI-JEWISH COMMENTS
According to the investigative report authored by UC Davis School of Law Dean Kevin R. Johnson and the outside law firm London & Stout, DeCristo told investigators the post was intended as satire and not a literal call to violence.
DeCristo claimed the language was intended to be “a sarcastic response to distressing geopolitical events,” and the message was not intended to be taken seriously.
The professor refused to issue a clarification or apology, according to the report, telling investigators, “it would just fuel the right-wing media that was harassing her.”
UC Davis concluded in their report that while the professor did not intend the post to be a literal threat, its language “injured members of the Jewish community,” caused fear for children’s safety, and triggered “a ripple effect of anxiety and increased burden on campus.” The report concluded the professor violated the faculty code of conduct regarding the university’s ethical principles and recommended discipline.
Memorial Union from a Distance at the University of California-Davis campus in Davis, California, taken on July 21, 2025. (istock)
TEXAS A&M COMMITTEE FINDS PROFESSOR’S FIRING OVER TRANSGENDER-RELATED LESSON UNJUSTIFIED
The investigation also documented “significant disruption” to university operations, including receiving hundreds of e-mails with demands that DeCristo be fired, complaints from students and staff over safety concerns and donations being jeopardized. At least one major donor threatened to withhold six-figure gifts unless DeCristo was terminated, according to the report.
A faculty panel in June 2025 recommended DeCristo be censured, but Chancellor Gary S. May decided that suspension was warranted as well.
UC Davis confirmed to Fox News Digital that DeCristo was suspended for the fall academic quarter and did not receive pay from Oct. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2025. DeCristo is not currently teaching but remains employed by the university.
“The chancellor suspended the faculty member without pay for one academic quarter and placed a Letter of Censure in the faculty member’s personnel file,” a statement from the university read. “The letter will remain in the faculty member’s personnel file for the duration of the faculty member’s employment with UC.”
Kerr Hall, UC Davis, Davis, California. Taken April 8, 2015. (Joseph DeSantis/Getty Images)
PROFESSOR SLAMMED FOR ‘DESPICABLE BEHAVIOR’ WITH CONTROVERSIAL REPOSTS ON CHARLIE KIRK
In the letter of censure, May wrote that both investigators and the hearing panel found a failure to recognize the “deep pain and significant disruption” caused to the university community and a failure to offer clarification or apology that could have mitigated the impact.
“Particularly where students were among those who suffered as a result of your actions,” May wrote, “your glaring lack of insight into the harm you caused is in direct conflict with your obligation to protect and preserve conditions hospitable to student learning.”
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DeCristo did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Fox News’ David Rutz contributed to this report.
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San Francisco, CA
San Francisco Bay Ferry fleet brings back live music after 25 years
SF Bay Ferry brings back live music after 25 years
the theme was tides and tunes on the San Francisco Bay Ferry on Friday night. The Richmond line commuters were serenaded with a free concert. It’s an experience other riders may not have to wait too long to enjoy.
SAN FRANCISCO – East Bay ferry commuters on Friday got some very special surprises during their evening commutes on one San Francisco Bay Ferry line. Soon, other commuters on other lines may get the same treatment.
Sweet, soothing music
Beyond the beautiful views and cocktails, folks who took the ferry between San Francisco and Richmond on Friday evening got an extra treat; something they haven’t done in more than two decades: live music.
Lolah, a San Jose solo artist and band member, sang songs for fans and Friday commuters to their surprise and delight. “I think it’s very entertaining after a long day at work, and it makes the ferry really enjoyable compared to BART,” said commuter John Schmidt.
Jess Jenkins read about it online. “It’s a little bit out of my way. Yeah, but I was excited to try and check out the live music on the ferry. I think making public transit attractive to use is like, yeah, great for everybody,” said Jenkins. “Fantastic. I mean this is the most beautiful city in the world, sunset, a little music. What more could you want in the world?” said passenger Josh Bamberger.
Commuter and artist Marco Sorenson sketched Lolah. “It’s great. This was a real surprise tonight, fascinating; on the boat anyway, so this adds a little extra,” said Sorenson.
The singer loves her art and audiences. It’s an opportunity for musicians like me because we want to go out there and share your work, your art. So you feed on the energy from the audience and the audience feeds from the energy from you,” said Lolah who books her gigs through Lolahentertainment.com.
Bay ferries had music before
Twenty-five years ago, before the dot-com crash, it was a spontaneous twice-a-month Friday event. “It was just a group of enthusiastic ferry riders from Oakland that put it all together. So, it gathered a following. People would come, get on the boat and just never get off the boat, just continuously two round trips, and we were grateful for it,” said three-year SF Bay Ferry Captain Tim Patrick.
Ultimately, it interfered with the evening commute. “And then we kind of put a stop to it because it became too successful,” said Caprain Patrick.
This time, SF Bay Ferry itself is sponsoring even to bolster ridership at commute time as well as on weekends. “We’re definitely kind of testing the waters, experimenting with what we’re able to do in a venue such as the ferries; beautiful and scenic,” said SF Bay Ferry spokesperson Teo Saragi.
What’s next:
On Friday, January 16, entertainment will be provided by a DJ between the city and Vallejo.
The Friday after, Lolah returns. “We’re also in the process of brainstorming potential trivia nights or comedy nights,” said spokesperson Saragi.
What was successful 25 years ago, could become successful again on a much bigger ferry system with a lot more lines, because people love live music, they love the ferries; throw in a cocktail and call it a party.
Denver, CO
Broncos offensive line is the engine that drives offense
I’ve been covering the Denver Broncos for his entire career and I remember writing up some pretty harsh criticism of his play early on — especially in regards to holding penalties. I recall at one point he was committing holding penalties at a record-breaking rate. He was so far above the rest of the field that he’d break charts if anyone tried to chart it. The best part of that saga is that he never let the outside noise (from me and many others) get to him. He worked on his craft and he got better. And then got even better to the point where it is pretty clear that he is one of the best left tackles in all of football. He is going to go down as one of the best tackles in franchise history too when its all said and done. It’s a great comeback story.
All that said, he wasn’t the only one of the Broncos players on that offensive line to make an impact with guard Quinn Meinerz also being named a PFF All-Pro player. The whole offensive line has been dominant in nearly every category and is the main engine that has driven the offenses successes this season.
4) Denver Broncos
Team OLi Grade: 83.0
Best-Ranked OL: Garett Bolles, 89.0 (7th overall, 3rd position)
Worst-Ranked OL: Alex Palczewski, 63.5 (159th overall, 61st position)
And one more to complete the picture comes from Sharp Football Analysis who has the Broncos ranked fifth-overall in their NFL Offensive Line Stats:
There is so much evidence that shows the trenches on both side of the ball is what has brought the success of the 2025 Broncos. It’s an area that Sean Payton has said in the past is always an area of focus. He knows you don’t win consistently if your team is being dominated in the trenches.
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