The women’s volleyball team at the center of a national debate over gender and sports advanced to the conference championship after Boise State refused to play.

Twice during the regular season, the Boise State women’s volleyball team took a moral stand by forfeiting matches against San Jose State rather than competing against a player believed to be transgender.

The issue resurfaced after San Jose State’s fast start to the 2024 season. The Spartans were initially scheduled to face Southern Utah as part of the Santa Clara Tournament on Sept. 14, but the match was abruptly canceled. Boise State elected not to play its scheduled Mountain West Conference match against San Jose State on Sept. 28.

Boise State’s women’s volleyball team has withdrawn from its Mountain West Conference Championship tournament match against San Jose State University (SJSU) amid an ongoing, unfounded gender controversy surrounding an SJSU player.

The Broncos have already forfeited two matches against the Spartans based on moral grounds. Now Boise State must decide whether to do it a third time with a lot more at stake.

Twice during the regular season, the Boise State women’s volleyball team took a moral stand by forfeiting matches against San Jose State rather than competing against a player believed to be transgender.

Boise State, which twice boycotted regular-season matches with San Jose State, pulled out of the Mountain West women’s volleyball tournament Wednesday

Boise State advanced to the semifinals of the Mountain West women's volleyball tournament by beating Utah State on Wednesday night

Boise State women's volleyball is forfeiting its semifinal match to SJSU in the Mountain West tournament, giving trans athlete Blaire Fleming and the Spartans a free pass to the finals.