The San Jose State Spartans women’s volleyball team had a terrific season. They were a dominant force but missed out on the title chance after their championship game loss. Despite all the success, the team is experiencing a tumultuous situation, as many notable players are bidding farewell to the college following a certain controversy.

So what happened? Players leave a team when there’s no synergy between them or some politics behind the scenes, but for San Jose State, everything was going perfectly. However, despite the backlash, the team allowed a transgender player, Blaire Fleming, to compete throughout the season, a situation that these players are eager to avoid. And as the transfer portal is open, one such notable volleyball star is aiming for her move with a certain hint on her social media.

San Jose volleyball player looking out for opportunities

Leaving a powerful team and searching for another is indeed a hassle. But it is something that Mari Lawton would go through to stay away from all the controversy. She isn’t the only one who’s open to transferring, as her teammates (former now) Nayeli T’ia, Ava Martin, Laurel Barsocchini, Kiyana Faupula, Jade Epps, and Teya Nguyen are also looking for new homes.

However, Lawton has provided a hint to her legion of followers through a certain Instagram story. “Aww the girls are back together,“ the volleyball star wrote as she reshared Kamaluhia Garcia’s social media post, where she announced that she would be continuing her career at Auburn University. However, Garcia isn’t alone, as Zoe Slaughter will also be joining her in his journey, and their reunion has touched Lawton’s heart. As the volleyball player celebrates the move of her fellow players, this could potentially connect her with Auburn University, her next destination.

This change will indeed be tough, as she will be leaving her club and friends behind for a new journey. However, she understands that she must make this change for the sake of a better career. Garcia is also excited about her new joining, and thanking her faith, she unveiled her emotions, stating, “With that being said i will be continuing my academic and athletic career at Auburn University I would like to give thanks to the glory of god for putting me on this path. Thank you to all the Auburn coaching staff for giving me this amazing opportunity and believing in me, @the__coach_ thank you for everything and couldn’t have done it without you! War Eagle Nation here I come 🧡💙”

For Garcia, it will be a whole new chapter in her life, and she is ready to embrace the challenges. However, looking back at her roots, she has thanked her coach David Tautofi, who has been a vital part of her volleyball career. The transfer portal has already undergone significant changes, which have been visible for a considerable amount of time. Indeed, the Spartans were having a terrific season, but the controversy was too much to take in, even for their coach, who gave a final verdict on this situation a few weeks ago.

Frustrated for not only her team but for women in sports

The issue of transgender women’s eligibility to play on women’s teams has been a persistent concern across various sports. However, this completely plagued the dominance of the San Jose Spartans and their domination. Coming forward, coach Melissa Batie-Smoose broke silence on this controversy on Fox News, stating, “We will not provide further information on this matter.”

However, she didn’t shy away from confronting the situation, adding, “Safety is being taken away from women… Fair play is taken away from women. We need more and more people to do this and fight this fight because women’s sports, as we know it right now, will be forever changed.” She was frustrated with the way things turned out for her team, especially the women in the sport. This issue is not new, as many activists, such as Riley Gaines, have raised concerns about Blaire Fleming’s ability to compete and her advantage over biological women on the court. Indeed, the divide in opinion has led to many questions regarding the future of the team, and watching all these top talents leave the squad, the fans would be looking forward to the San Jones’ management, who needs to take action.