The University of Wyoming’s decision to forfeit its women’s volleyball game against San José State came after a wave of pressure and protest over a transgender athlete on the Spartans.
But the Cowgirls twice played against San José and the same volleyball player, Blaire Fleming, in 2022, athletic records show, without controversy. The Cowgirls also played against the Spartans last year, though Fleming did not participate.
University of Wyoming spokesman Chad Baldwin did not offer a comment when asked Wednesday why the Cowgirls, after participating in games involving Fleming in 2022, changed course this year. When the university announced Tuesday that it was forfeiting the game against San José, it did not offer an explanation.
It’s unclear whether the university was aware that Fleming was a transgender woman at the time of the earlier games. Her gender identity became subject to news media reports earlier this year.
The University of Wyoming women’s volleyball team. (UW Athletics)
For some, the controversy involves the safety of UW’s Cowgirls. Fleming can spike the ball at an estimated 80 miles an hour, according to a lawsuit her teammate Brooke Slusser joined against the NCAA over allowing trans athletes.
If true, the claim would place Fleming among the world record holders, which are currently held by athletes out of college. The women’s world record is around 70 miles an hour, while the fastest spike recorded for men in the Volleyball Nations League was about 84 miles per hour.
Fleming’s stats show she didn’t compete against Wyoming in 2023. Fleming was a leader for kills in both games against UW in 2022, though she had fewer kills than teammate Amethyst Harper in Laramie. UW lost both games 1-3.
Regardless of a trans athlete’s talent, several lawmakers backed UW’s decision to bow out of the game. Not doing so would have been to participate in “the extremist agenda of Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) or propagate the lie that biological sex can be changed,” according to a letter signed by Sen. Cheri Steinmetz (R-Lingle) and circulated earlier this week among fellow Republican lawmakers. She later told WyoFile in an email she commended UW on its actions.
When asked about the earlier games involving Fleming, Steinmetz referred WyoFile back to the letter for her thoughts on the matter.
“It is important that we protect females and women’s sports,” she added.
Minority Floor Leader Rep. Mike Yin (D-Jackson), in contrast, said he felt legislators were using the forfeit for political gain.
“[T]he team should make their own choices without politicians telling them what they should and shouldn’t do,” he said. “I think the Freedom Caucus has yet again decided that they know what is best for women and that the team could not have the freedom to decide for themselves what to do without undue influence from politicians.”
Originally, after consulting with the team, coaches and administrators, UW said it would compete against San José at a match set for this weekend. That changed Tuesday, but the university hasn’t said why it changed its mind or who was consulted, pointing to the statement it already published.
In response to UW’s decision Tuesday, San José State University released its own statement saying, “It is disappointing that our SJSU student athletes, who are in full compliance with NCAA and Mountain West rules and regulations, are being denied opportunities to compete.”
“We are committed to supporting our student-athletes through these challenges and in their ability to compete in an inclusive, fair, safe and respectful environment.”
San José State is scheduled to play Colorado State University on Thursday evening in Fort Collins, which will serve as the annual inclusive excellence game.
“This game is a collaboration between the Office of Inclusive Excellence and Athletics, with a special highlight on DEI efforts and history in the world of volleyball,” according to CSU’s website.
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