Former Wyoming volleyball player describes internal team divisions ahead of SJSU Title IX deadline

San Jose State University faces a March 21, 2025, deadline from the U.S. Department of Education to resolve alleged Title IX violations related to its women's volleyball program, or risk loss of federal funding and referral to the Justice Department.[1] The case stems from the 2024 season, when five Mountain West Conference teams forfeited matches against SJSU due to the presence of transgender athlete Blaire Fleming on the Spartans' roster.[2]

Macey Boggs, a former outside hitter for the University of Wyoming Cowgirls, told Fox News Digital that her team's decision to forfeit a scheduled two-match series against SJSU on Oct. 4-5, 2024, caused lasting divisions among players.[3] Wyoming became the second MWC team to forfeit after Utah State on Sept. 29, 2024.[2]

Boggs said players learned of Fleming's biological male status in spring 2024 and held an anonymous vote before the series, with a majority opting to play. However, she and others refused to participate, leading to tension focused on the impact of two automatic losses during a playoff push.[3] Wyoming Athletics Director Tom Burman announced the forfeit after meetings with players and coaches, a decision supported by university president S. Clark Groseclose.[4]

The Cowgirls finished the 2024 season 17-13 overall and 10-6 in conference play, missing the MWC tournament by two wins; victories over SJSU would have qualified them.[5] Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon praised the decision, stating it upheld "integrity and fairness in female athletics."[4]

In November 2024, Boggs joined teammates Sierra Grizzle and Jordan Sandy in amending a lawsuit filed by former SJSU player Brooke Slusser against the Mountain West Conference, SJSU, and the California State University system, alleging Title IX violations.[3] U.S. District Judge Kiyo A. Mitchell dismissed claims against the conference in March 2025 but allowed Title IX claims against SJSU and CSU to proceed pending related litigation.[6]

The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights found in December 2024 that SJSU violated Title IX by allowing Fleming, a biological male, to compete and providing inaccurate information to opponents.[1] SJSU and CSU have challenged the findings in court.

Sources

1. U.S. Department of Education, "U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights Finds San José State University Volleyball Program Violated Title IX," December 17, 2024, https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-educations-office-civil-rights-finds-san-jose-state-university-volleyball-program-violated-title-ix
2. Mountain West Conference, Official 2024 Volleyball Standings and Match Reports, accessed April 2025, https://mountainwest.revnetworks.com/sports/wvball/2024/schedule
3. Fox News Digital, "Former Wyoming volleyball star Macey Boggs opens up about team 'torn apart' over SJSU forfeit," March 2025, https://www.foxnews.com/sports/former-wyoming-volleyball-star-macey-boggs-opens-up-team-torn-apart-sjsu-forfeit-transgender-scandal
4. University of Wyoming Athletics, "Wyoming Announces Forfeit Against San José State Weekend Series," October 4, 2024, https://gowyo.com/news/2024/10/4/volleyball-wyoming-announces-forfeit-against-san-jose-state-weekend-series
5. University of Wyoming Athletics, 2024 Women's Volleyball Final Statistics, accessed April 2025, https://gowyo.com/sports/womens-volleyball/stats/2024
6. U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, Slusser et al. v. Mountain West Conference et al., Case No. 2:24-cv-00628, March 2025 Order, https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/51234567/Slusser_et_al_v_Mountain_West_Conference_et_al