The administration at San Jose State University (SJSU) has suspended associate head women’s volleyball coach Melissa Batie-Smoose after she spoke out against the toxic culture created by having Blaire Fleming, a male player who pretends to be a woman, on the team.
According to Outkick, Batie-Smoose was suspended on Saturday after she filed a Title IX complaint over the school’s aggressive “transgender inclusion” policy, claiming that the school was engaging in overt favoritism and putting the female players’ safety at risk.
Team captain Brooke Schlusser, in a post on X, said that, by suspending Batie-Smoose, the school had taken away the team’s only “safe space.”
My assistant coach spoke truth to protect my team.Then…they fire her. They took away the only safe space we had in the program.Because she knew that it was right to stand up for the 18 women on the team.Not one man.
https://t.co/GXhWXQMA5O— Brooke Slusser (@BrookeSlusser) November 3, 2024
According to the Title IX complaint obtained by Quillette, Fleming and another unnamed SJSU player secretly met with Colorado State player Malaya Jones prior to the teams competing on Oct 3.
Outkick reports that during this meeting, Fleming and the unnamed player made a deal not to defend shots that Jones would be hitting toward Schlusser.
Fleming is also accused of conspiring to throw the volleyball match and intentionally endangering a teammate.
Batie-Smoose spoke with Outkick following her suspension last weekend and stated:
I just want to protect women’s sports and protect the members of our team… I’m concerned about Brooke Slusser and the majority of the team because they’re being silenced and their thoughts and feelings don’t matter [to San Jose State University].
SJSU is facing increasing backlash from Fleming’s presence on the women’s volleyball team.
Boise State University (BSU) announced this week that it will be forfeiting a second game against SJSU rather than allow its female team members to compete against a male opponent.
Champion swimmer Riley Gaines shared a post on X showing fans attending the BSU vs University of Nevada Reno match last weekend wearing BOYcott t-shirts to protest what they see as unfairness and a threat to the safety of the women athletes.
This week, Boise State University announced they will forfeit a second match against SJSU.
Last night, they played University of Nevada who also forfeited a match against SJSU. The stadium was filled with BOYcott shirts.
This is the way. Enough is enough! #BOYcott pic.twitter.com/gXCLCR3n35
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) November 3, 2024
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