San Jose volleyball ended its regular season on a loss against Fresno and lost their #2 seed in the upcoming Mountain West Conference Tournament. The double whammy couldn’t have come at a worse time, as months of forfeitures and legal trouble culminated in a federal lawsuit against SJSU on Nov. 13. And yet, in the face of continued challenges, coach Todd Kress would make a prophetic statement.

“I know that our last day on the court as a team when that comes is not the end of this team’s story,” Kress said in the press conference following their loss. Now, just ahead of the MWC Tournament, and after a positive ruling, it is safe to say SJSU’s 2024 season story will indeed continue, even if it’s only until the regional championships end.

The SJSU Spartans have beaten the odds to keep their historic season alive

After the initial emergency injunctive relief hearing, U.S. District Court (Colorado) judge S. Kato Crews ended proceedings with a promise. The judge said that he would deliver his verdict in a “timely fashion” ahead of the TMWC Tournament starting on Wednesday. Finally, after days of anxious waiting, Crews has ruled in favor of defendant San Jose Volleyball.

“The relief requested with the emergency motion would risk confusion and upend months of planning and would prejudice, at a minimum, Defendants and other teams participating in the tournament depending on the results of any reseeding. On balance, the equities favor the MWC’s interest in conducting and proceeding with the tournament as planned,” Crews said as per an NBC report.

The plaintiffs, which included alleged trans athlete Blaire Fleming’s teammate and current co-captain Brooke Slusser, made demands that would rearrange the MWC table as it stands. Besides seeking to prevent Fleming from playing for the Spartans in the post-season tournament, they also sought a complete recalculation of the points’ distribution.

Throughout the season, SJSU earned six forfeiture wins, which helped them end the regular season with a 12-5 record. However, Slusser, suspended assistant coach Melissa Batie-Smoose, and 10 other active and former MWC athletes sought to rescind those victories. Since the MWC rules chalk up forfeitures as losses, they also sought to overturn those losses for the teams that forfeited.

So how did San Jose volleyball fight the 132-page lawsuit? In the words of Coach Todd Kress, they fought by simply continuing to compete. Despite the forfeiture wins, they were on a nine-game win streak before Southern Utah became the first school to cancel a game with SJSU. Although they lost five times, the Spartans posted crucial victories that ensured a spot in the MWC tournament.

“Very proud of the opportunities that we took advantage of,” Kress told the media. “The pain, the conflict, and the relentless negativity directed to this team in the media and the bleachers could have broken us, but it didn’t… We kept playing, and there may be no bigger achievement than that,” he added. However, there may just be more than one ‘bigger achievement’ for the Spartans on the horizon.

What comes next for San Jose volleyball?

Now that SJSU has passed their biggest hurdle, the coast is clear for a shot at NCAA glory. “We are gratified that the Court rejected an eleventh-hour attempt to change those rules. Our team looks forward to competing in the Mountain West volleyball tournament this week.” San Jose State stated in an official statement to OutKick.

And why wouldn’t they? The winner of the MWC Tournament will automatically qualify for the national championship. Now that the court has ruled in favor of one of their star players, their chances are looking good. Outside Hitter Blaire Fleming has been among the most consistent players in the San Jose volleyball team, closing out games in emphatic fashion.

Despite often having to sit it out due to forfeitures, Fleming has amassed 297 kills for the 2024 season. Even during losses against Nevada and Fresno State, Fleming led the team with 20 and 21 kills, respectively. So, not having Fleming in the squad would’ve been a massive blow to SJSU. However, this isn’t the only positive news for the Spartans.

While they initially lost their #2 seed after ending the season on a loss, they have required it. Thanks to Boise State defeating Fresno, SJSU is back to #2, which gives them a slight edge. As the second seed, the Spartans will directly compete against Wednesday’s quarterfinal winner between Utah and Boise State.

If either team forfeits their tournament match against SJSU, the Spartans will advance. This would either set up a rematch against Fresno State or a clash against San Diego. So, will San Jose Volleyball’s miracle run continue now that their legal troubles are behind them? Thankfully, volleyball fans won’t have to wait too long to find out.