CSU Beats SJSU In Mountain West Final, Saves NCAA From Transgender Blaire Fleming Controversy

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LAS VEGAS – The Colorado State Rams defeated the San Jose State Spartans in the Mountain West Championship final at Cox Pavilion on Saturday. 

It's hard to know who might be happier about that victory: Colorado State or the NCAA. 

With the victory, the Rams earned an automatic berth in the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Tournament as the champions of the Mountain West. But more importantly for the NCAA, it means that SJSU and transgender player Blaire Fleming won't be competing in the NCAA Tournament. 

After the match, OutKick requested to speak with SJSU coaches and players, but a school spokesperson said they would not accommodate any media requests. Instead, the athletics department sent out a lengthy statement on behalf of head coach Todd Kress. 

The San Jose State loss has to be a huge relief for the NCAA, which has stayed silent on the Blaire Fleming-transgender athlete controversy. OutKick has asked the governing body several times about Fleming, and the NCAA has declined comment and/or told OutKick to speak with the institutions involved. 

Colorado State defeated San Jose State in the Mountain West Championship women's volleyball final, which means transgender Blaire Fleming won't be playing in the NCAA Tournament.

Colorado State defeated San Jose State in the Mountain West Championship women's volleyball final, which means transgender Blaire Fleming won't be playing in the NCAA Tournament.

(Colorado State Athletics & Getty Images)

But that would have changed had San Jose State advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Especially considering many states have laws in place barring biological males, like Fleming, from competing in women's sports. 

What if San Jose State had to travel to one of those states to play an NCAA Tournament game? That would have been a nightmare scenario for the NCAA, so it has the Colorado Rams to thank for preventing that headache. 

Colorado State, led by MWC Player of the Year Malaya Jones, beat San Jose State in four sets 

Colorado State dominated the match in the early going, racing out to a 2-0 set lead. Mountain West Player of the Year Malaya Jones, who is accused of colluding with Blaire Fleming prior to an early October match between the two schools, showed why she was named the conference's top player. 

Transgender Blaire Fleming didn't play particularly well, certainly not as well as the last time these two teams met. Head coach Todd Kress also had Fleming on the bench for several extended stretches during the match. 

But Fleming did come alive in the third set, leading all players with 9 kills to keep the Spartans' season alive and cut the deficit to 2-1. Fleming led all Spartans with 17 kills in the match. 

However, Jones took over in the fourth set, which looked a lot like the first two. Jones had eight kills in the game, easily leading all players with 26 kills in the match. Colorado State cruised to victory to win the Mountain West Championship, 3-1. 

Not only does the NCAA avoid controversy, but the Mountain West's headache ends with the San Jose State loss, as well. Fleming is in the final year of college eligibility, so Fleming's indoor collegiate volleyball career is over. 

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Colorado State defeated San Jose State in the Mountain West Championship women's volleyball final, which means transgender Blaire Fleming won't be playing in the NCAA Tournament.

Colorado State defeated San Jose State in the Mountain West Championship women's volleyball final, which means transgender Blaire Fleming won't be playing in the NCAA Tournament.

(Getty Images)

However, Fleming had previously played on the school's beach volleyball team, so Fleming could still compete in the spring. Although, Fleming did not play on the beach volleyball team last season. 

Though Fleming's college athletics career is likely complete, the conversation sparked by the inclusion of the trans-identifying biological male on the San Jose State volleyball team is far from over. 

There are currently two outstanding lawsuits – one against the NCAA and one against the Mountain West – surrounding the inclusion of transgender athletes in women's sports. 

President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to "ban" biological males from competing in women's sports as the issue has caught the attention of the most important policy-makers in the United States. 

Expect plenty more to come, even if Blaire Fleming is no longer taking the court against female athletes.