A Season Marked by Controversy: San Jose State Volleyball Team Faces Tough Loss in Mountain West Finals
San Jose State University’s volleyball team ended its tumultuous season Saturday with a 27-25, 25-20, 23-25, 25-16 loss to Colorado State in the Mountain West tournament final. The Colorado State Rams earned the conference’s automatic bid to the 64-team NCAA Tournament.
A Season Plagued by Controversy
San Jose State’s season was shadowed by controversy, stemming from boycotts by opposing teams and pressure to exclude a player whose gender identity became a national debate.
“This has been one of the most difficult seasons I’ve ever experienced and I know this is true as well for many of our players and the staff who have been supporting us all along,” said Spartans coach Todd Kress. “Maintaining our focus on the court and ensuring the overall safety and well-being of my players amidst the external noise have been my priorities.”
The Spartans finished with a 14-6 record, their six victories attributed to winning by forfeit because several opponents chose not to compete against them this season.
“I will not sugarcoat our reality for the last two months,” said Kress in a statement. “Our team prepared and was ready to play each match according to established Mountain West and NCAA rules of play. We did not take away anyone’s participation opportunities.
“Sadly, others who for years have played this same team without incident chose not to play us this season.”
Kress emphasized that the Spartans did not celebrate the victories awarded to them by forfeit. “Instead, we braced for the fallout. Each forfeiture announcement unleashed appalling, hateful messages individuals chose to send directly to our student-athletes, our coaching staff, and many associated with our program.”
Controversy Continues Throughout the Tournament
The controversy surrounding the Spartans persisted during the Mountain West tournament. Boise State, which boycotted two regular-season matches against San Jose State, withdrew from the tournament on Wednesday, hours after securing a spot against the Spartans in the semifinals.
While Boise State did not explicitly state the reasons for their withdrawal, a lawsuit was recently filed against the conference and San Jose state officials, demanding a Spartans player be excluded from the tournament. The lawsuit cited unspecified reports about a transgender player on the San Jose State team, even naming the player, but providing no further details.
A U.S. Magistrate Judge in Denver ruled on Monday that the Spartan player was eligible to compete, and a federal appeals court upheld the decision the following day.
In addition to Boise State, Mountain West members Wyoming, Utah State and Nevada as well as Southern Utah canceled matches against San Jose State this season, citing concerns about fairness for female athletes. Nevada’s players released a statement saying, they “refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes” without providing further details.
Support from Colorado State
“We talked about it every single week that we have to play with the extra noise and minimizing the time you spend on social media and maximizing the time we spend on our scouting report and controlling what we can control,” said Colorado State coach Emily Kress. “We can’t control what the crowd’s going to do, what lineups roll out there or what’s going to happen. We can control the way we play on our side, and that’s what we’ve done all year with any opponent we’ve played.”
Colorado State chose to compete against San Jose State during both the regular season and the conference championship, leading to a fairly routine match despite the surrounding controversy.
The championship match against Colorado State was played without incident, with no protesters outside of Cox Pavilion and no noticeable signs of hostility from the crowd.
San Jose State received the second seed in the tournament and gained a first-round bye, culminating in the championship match.
What were the challenges faced by the San Jose State volleyball team this season?
## A Season Derailed: Interview with San Jose State Volleyball Coach Todd Kress
**Host:** Coach Kress, thank you for joining us today. This season has been anything but ordinary for the San Jose State volleyball team. Can you walk us through some of the challenges you and your team faced?
**Coach Kress:** This season has been undeniably difficult. The controversy surrounding one of our players and the subsequent boycotts by several opposing teams created a level of external pressure and scrutiny that I’ve never experienced before in my coaching career. [1](https://sjsuspartans.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster)
**Host:** Six of your wins this season were by forfeit. How did the team handle these unconventional victories, and what was it like preparing for matches that ultimately didn’t happen?
**Coach Kress:** We didn’t celebrate those forfeit wins. In fact, each announcement was followed by a new wave of hateful messages directed at our players, staff, and everyone associated with the program. It was heartbreaking to see my athletes targeted simply because they wanted to play volleyball. We tried to focus on what we could control – our preparation, our unity as a team, and taking care of each other’s emotional well-being.
**Host:** Despite the adversity, San Jose State made it to the Mountain West Tournament finals. How did the team manage to stay focused amidst all the distractions?
**Coach Kress:** It was a testament to the incredible resilience of these young women. They showed up every day ready to work, ready to support each other, and ready to compete – despite the weight of the outside noise.
**Host:** Boise State withdrew from the tournament just hours before a scheduled semifinal match against San Jose State. What were your thoughts on that decision?
**Coach Kress:** It was disappointing, to say the least. It reinforces the sense of injustice that has surrounded this team all season. My players deserved the opportunity to compete on the court and settle things the right way – through sport.
**Host:** Coach Kress, what’s your message to your team after a season like this? What comes next?
**Coach Kress:** I am incredibly proud of the strength and resilience they’ve shown. They faced unimaginable challenges and met them with grace and courage. This season has undoubtedly been painful, but I believe it will make them stronger, both as athletes and as individuals. We will learn from this experience and continue to focus on building a program that embodies sportsmanship, inclusivity, and respect.
