Things are not looking great for the San Jose women’s volleyball team. Firstly, on the court, they missed a chance to qualify for the NCAA tournament. However, more importantly, things have taken a drastic turn outside of the court too. In reality, San Jose has been struck by a heavy controversy. The team allowed a transgender athlete to play for the entirety of the season, which caused massive backlash throughout 2024. And now, to cap off the year with yet another shocking twist, at least seven players are leaving the program.

According to Outkick, San Jose State’s women’s volleyball team is having a moment—and not the good kind. Seven players have officially hit the transfer portal: Teya Nguyen, Jade Epps, Kiyana Faupula, Laurel Barsocchini, Ava Martin, Mari Lawton, and Nayeli T’ia. The team, already rocked by controversies this season, now faces the heartbreaking loss of some key athletes.

But San Jose State isn’t playing the blame game. In an official statement, the school said, “Student athletes have the ability to make decisions about their college athletic careers, and we have the utmost respect for that.” Respectful, sure, but that’s gotta sting. On the court, the Spartans had a wild ride.

They kicked off 2024 with a six-game win streak, which ballooned to 9-0 by September. But that’s when the drama really started. Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines called out the program for allegedly “hiding” that Blaire Fleming, a transgender athlete, was on the roster. She didn’t hold back, calling it “unfair” and “dangerous” for Fleming to compete against women.

The controversy didn’t just make waves—it caused forfeits. Boise State refused to play San Jose State twice during the regular season and again in the Mountain West semifinals, essentially handing the Spartans a free pass to the conference championship. But their Cinderella run came to a screeching halt with a loss to Colorado State. That loss not only ended the season but also marked the end of Fleming’s collegiate career.

Off the court, the drama was just as intense. Co-captain Brooke Slusser joined a lawsuit in September against the NCAA, claiming she and her teammates weren’t informed of Fleming’s birth gender. The allegations didn’t stop there—another lawsuit, filed in November, accused the program of favoritism and even claimed there was a plot to spike a volleyball at Slusser’s face during a game.

If that wasn’t enough chaos, assistant coach Melissa Batie-Smoose got suspended in November after filing a Title IX complaint. She accused the university of prioritizing Fleming over other players, including Slusser, and also backed the alleged spiking plot claim. And let’s not forget how the San Jose women’s volleyball team also had quite a mixed bag this year with their wins. 

San Jose ends the season with several forfeitures

San Jose dreamt of getting into the NCAA. Unfortunately, with the controversies getting worse day by day, the impact was visible on its athletes. Ending the season with a loss against Fresno, San Jose lost their #2 seed in the Mountain West Conference Tournament coming up shortly. At the end of the regular season, San Jose’s campaign looked quite impressive as they notched up 12 wins and 5 losses according to the statistics. 

But there was something that stats never revealed. Out of the 12 wins, only 6 were fought on the court. As for the other 6, it all came as forfeiture victories owing to the scathing controversies within the team. Speaking on the season overview, head coach Todd Kress mentioned, “I know that our last day on the court as a team when that comes is not the end of this team’s story.”

It’s not entirely clear if the seven players are leaving because of all the chaos during the 2024 season—or if there’s more to the story. So far, no one’s gone on record to explain their decisions, leaving plenty of room for speculation. Was it the lawsuits? The coaching drama? The controversy around Blaire Fleming? Or maybe they’re just looking for a fresh start. What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below!