Nevada became the latest team to call off a women’s volleyball match against San Jose State, citing not enough players.
The Wolf Pack were originally scheduled to host San Jose State this weekend, but Nevada players announced they would refuse to take the court, saying they “refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes,” without providing further details.
Nevada’s athletic department had said the program wouldn’t back out from the match, referencing state equality laws, but also said that no players will be disciplined if they do not participate.
The game was switched to San Jose “in the interest of both programs,” the teams said in a joint statement — with no further explanation — before Nevada elected to forfeit.
So far this season, Southern Utah, Boise State, Wyoming, Utah State and now Nevada have canceled games against the Spartans. Given that Boise State, Wyoming, Utah State and Nevada are members of the Mountain West Conference, those contests are considered forfeits and count as valuable wins in the league standings for San Jose State.
Republican governors of Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming have made public statements in support of the cancellations, citing a need for fairness in women’s sports. Former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee in this year’s presidential race, this week referenced an unidentified volleyball match when he was asked during a Fox News town hall about transgender athletes in women’s sports. Neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans women’s volleyball player.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
