LAS VEGAS – Boise State advanced to the semifinals of the Mountain West women's volleyball tournament by defeating Utah State on Wednesday night, but the Broncos did not immediately say whether they would play Friday against San Jose State.
San Jose State, which received six forfeit victories because of boycotts from Mountain West opponents, is seeded second in the conference tournament and received a first-round bye.
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No. 6 seed Boise State forfeited both of its regular-season matches to the Spartans.
“No decision's been made,” Boise State spokesman Doug Link said. “I don't know what's going to go on. I think we're playing, but at this time there's nothing more to say.”
Link said Broncos coach Shawn Garus would only speak to the media about the 25-19, 18-25, 25-20, 25-23 victory over the third-seeded Aggies. Players were not made available to comment.
Link said he didn't know if the decision on whether to play would occur Wednesday night or what would go into it, whether it would be a team vote or more of a university decision.
Should San Jose State play and defeat Boise State or advance through another forfeit, the Spartans would face top-seeded Colorado State or No. 5 San Diego State in Saturday’s championship. Both teams played the Spartans this season.
San Jose State coach Todd Kress scouted the Boise State-Utah State match, but he was not made available for comment.
The Spartans' athletic department later released a statement that read: “Our team is excited and prepared to take the court on Friday night in the semifinals.”
Mountain West members Boise State, Wyoming, Utah State and Nevada as well as Southern Utah canceled games this season against the Spartans. Nevada’s players stated they “refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes,” without providing further details.
A lawsuit was recently filed in Colorado by players from various schools against the conference and San Jose State officials calling for a Spartans player not to be allowed participation in the tournament, citing unspecified reports asserting there was a transgender player on the San Jose State volleyball team, even naming her.
U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews in Denver ruled Monday that the player is allowed to play, and a federal appeals court upheld the decision the following day.
While some media have reported those and other details, neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans women’s volleyball player. The Associated Press is withholding the player’s name because she has not publicly commented on her gender identity and through school officials has declined an interview request.
Wyoming and Nevada did not qualify for the tournament.
Participation of transgender women in women’s sports is apparently why the five teams canceled their games against San Jose State, and the topic became a hot political topic ahead of the recent election.
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AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports