SJSU Volleyball's Brooke Slusser Speaks Out After Getting Online Threats Over Trans Lawsuit, Blaire Fleming
Sports in America have made Brooke Slusser an anomaly, not the 6-foot-1 biological male teammate she shares a volleyball court with at San Jose State.
Slusser believes there's no sense for her and her Spartans to share a locker with Blaire Fleming, a redshirt senior at SJSU who chose to keep her biological sex a secret.
Slusser spoke up and took action. She joined the ongoing lawsuit led by ICONS to protect Title IX and female athletes from the inclusion of trans athletes in collegiate sports.
She knows the first-hand dangers of playing on a team with Fleming and the mischaracterization she could receive from the media by standing up for that message.
That didn’t make the threats that Slusser received any less frightening.
Brooke Slusser Threatened After Standing Up For Beliefs
On Oct. 2, one of Brooke Slusser's teammates received a direct message on social media, warning Slusser and her teammates to "look out" if they continued playing for the Spartans.
READ: SJSU Volleyball Coach 'Disappointed' Teams Don't Want To Play Against Transgender Blaire Fleming
On Thursday (Oct. 3), police safeguarded Moby Arena as San Jose State arrived to take on Colorado State.
The police weren’t there to protect Blaire Fleming, whom the mainstream media would like to tell you is the "oppressed" in this situation. Fleming was not in danger.
Police were present at Moby to protect a biological woman, Slusser, based on the threat she received.
Blaire Fleming Continues To Dominate Women's Volleyball. Brooke Slusser pictured behind Fleming. (CREDIT: SJSU Athletics)
((CREDIT: SJSU Athletics))
The San Jose State University Spartans are flanked by Moby Arena security, campus police and their own private guard during an NCAA Mountain West women's volleyball game against the Colorado State University Rams at Moby Arena in Fort Collins, Colo., on Thursday, Oct. 03, 2024. (Photo by Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Although surprised by the threats, Slusser will not give up her fight.
Slusser spoke with OutKick on Friday (Oct. 4) about her experience dealing with threats to her safety when she chose to stand her ground.
OutKick Speaks With San Jose State's Brooke Slusser
Those pressuring Brooke to shrink from her commitment to protecting Title IX against trans athletes are under the assumption that a threat only impacts her.
In reality, their hostility has affected Brooke's teammates as well.
Colorado State University police behind the San Jose State University Spartans bench monitor Moby Arena during an NCAA Mountain West women's volleyball game between the Spartans and the Colorado State Rams in Fort Collins, Colo., on Thursday, Oct. 03, 2024. (Photo by Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Slusser's teammates were threatened to stay away, or there would be consequences.
When speaking with OutKick, Slusser's tone sounded more concerned about her teammates than herself.
Slusser said, "One of my teammates received a DM basically telling her that she needed to keep her distance from me during the Colorado State game because it wouldn’t be a good situation."
"That just does not feel right," Brooke added, expressing concern about the safety of herself and her Spartans teammates.
"It’s one thing for me to take a stand for something I truly believe in. However, the last thing I’d ever want is for this to affect my teammates. That was the hardest part."
I asked if the threat was something Slusser had in her mind during Thursday night’s match against Colorado State, which ended in a three-set defeat for San Jose State.
Brooke admitted to being on high alert in the aftermath of the online threat received by her teammate.
Blaire Fleming's Leaping Ability in Clear Display (Photo Credit: @XxtraEstroGenny on X)
((Photo Credit: @XxtraEstroGenny on X))
"Usually, I’m fully locked in; sometimes, I can’t tell you what’s going on with my surroundings.
"On a safety level, I’d watch out for things in the arena that I usually don’t look out for."
Has SJSU Done Enough To Protect Slusser, Teammates?
The coaching staff at SJSU gave Brooke the option to back out of the match.
Despite all the pressure, she remained focused on playing.
Police escorted her and her teammates into and out of the arena. Slusser remembered seeing police officers and security guards patrolling Moby Arena — something she didn't recall seeing in her typical volleyball matches.
Brooke observed approximately 12 security personnel patrolling the court and the surrounding area. Security personnel stood behind the bench to protect the SJSU players.
"For a volleyball game, that’s insane. Almost unheard of," Slusser told OutKick.
One naturally assumes that a long-term plan would be in place to protect this concerned team.
According to Brooke, SJSU has not reached out with any plans to ensure her or her team’s safety beyond Thursday night.
OutKick reached out for comment from SJSU's administration regarding a plan to keep their players safe.
"We have communicated to the team that we have enhanced security places in place for home and away games indefinitely," SJSU spokesperson Michelle Smith McDonald told OutKick.
Notably, Brooke expects a strong reaction from SJSU to protect the women under duress based on the university's past efforts to protect their trans player, Blaire Fleming.
"Not just me, I hope our whole team (19 or more women) can get that," Brooke said.
Brooke mentioned that she had received previous online threats expressing an intention to confront her on SJSU’s campus.
I also inquired with SJSU about whether the school is investigating the online threat toward Brooke.
"Because the threat took place in Colorado before the Colorado State match, the CSU police are investigating and keeping our University Police officers updated," the school responded.
San Jose State University Spartans head coach Todd Kress speaks with members of the news media following their loss in an NCAA Mountain West women's volleyball game against the Colorado State University Rams in Fort Collins, Colo., on Thursday, Oct. 03, 2024. (Photo by Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Would Brooke think about backing out of matches moving forward?
"No," Brooke said, speaking of her plans for the near future, "at the end of the day, this is something I will stand for. I know my team needs me."
"You can say whatever you want to say, but there’s only one right answer here that does nothing with politics: men don’t deserve to be in women’s sports. … When you believe in something so truly … that’s not going to stop me from playing volleyball."
Whenever violence enters a contested discussion, both sides have an opportunity to come together and warn agitators to stand down.
Has Blaire Fleming taken the initiative to support Brooke since the latter received a threat to their safety, which, by extension, affected the rest of the Spartans team?
"No," Brooke responded.
Workers monitor the NCAA Mountain West women's volleyball game between the Colorado State University Rams and San Jose State University Spartans at Moby Arena in Fort Collins, Colo., on Thursday, Oct. 03, 2024. (Photo by Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Now, the Spartans team's dream is derailed by a conversation about whether a trans player is allowed to share their court or share their locker room.
"They just want to play volleyball," Brooke stated. "Your dream is to play D1 volleyball; for most of them it’s their dream."
Forfeitures Make Sense, But It Comes At A Cost For SJSU's Players
Slusser, the ICONS team, OutKick's Riley Gaines and more have spoken up to demand action from the NCAA, whose president Charlie Baker, has cowardly hidden behind policies for trans inclusion that, under the same breath, have been deemed "not mandatory."
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 18: University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas and Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines react after finishing tied for 5th in the 200 Freestyle finals at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships on March 18th, 2022 at the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta Georgia. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Mountain West Conference, which hosts San Jose State, has also stayed quiet amid growing concerns about female athletes' safety.
Since we first reported on the story, four teams have withdrawn from playing against SJSU: Southern Utah, Boise State, the University of Wyoming and, most recently, Utah State.
San Jose State will compete against San Diego State on Oct. 10. The Aztecs are not expected to withdraw from any future matches with Fleming and the Spartans.
Schools have kept their reasons for backing out behind closed doors, likely out of fear that mentioning a trans player as unsafe to female competitors could lead to a backlash.
The safety of female athletes is a top priority, and it's only sensible for schools to withdraw in order to address concerns related to trans players.
In 2022, women’s athletics witnessed one of the worst outcomes imaginable in the trans-athlete discussion when North Carolina athlete Payton McNabb suffered head and neck injuries after being hit with a spike by a man participating in a women’s volleyball match.
Blaire Fleming has achieved spike velocities approaching 80 mph.
Will More Teams Back Out From Playing Against SJSU?
I asked Brooke if she expects more teams to back out while Blaire Fleming continues to pose safety concerns by being part of the Spartans team.
Unfortunately, these forfeitures have come at a tremendous cost for real women.
"Every time we’ve heard a team backs out, it hurts," Brooke shared. "We’re practicing 20 hours a week to play games."
"We’re practicing, but for what? That’s the hardest part about it. … I’m only going to speak for myself. If I was on the other team’s side ... I applaud them for what they’re doing."
READ: University Of Nevada Will Not Forfeit Against San Jose State, Blaire Fleming
She added, "Schools are doing the right thing. It’s just hard to see your season face so many obstacles that could easily be avoided. And no one’s addressing it."
Brooke Slusser Stands Up For Women Now, And The Next Generation of Female Athletes
For Slusser — and many of the women taking a stand — faith has been a foundation on which she can stand firm against scrutiny.
Friends and family have reached out with Bible verses, encouraging the young woman under scrutiny to be courageous.
"When you truly believe in something, it’s never going to feel wrong. … Everyone has their morals, Slusser said. "I’ve grown so much just throughout this period of time. It puts life into a different perspective."
Brooke understands the path she's on can get dark. But she refuses to waver.
Slusser urges others to stand up, not worrying about potential losses but to stand up for the women of the next generation.
Brooke remains fearless.
"I’m still playing; still on scholarship; still going to practice every day. Nothing the administration or coaches can do anything about that," she said. "If this is how our world will keep going, then there aren’t going to be any women’s sports."
"Women have worked so hard for this. It’s in basic biology that men and women are very different."
Brooke Slusser's story has been a prime example that modern activists touting "inclusion" can also wish harm, sometimes physical, on female athletes willing to stand up for basic biological truths.
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 18: University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas and Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines react after finishing tied for 5th in the 200 Freestyle finals at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships on March 18th, 2022 at the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta Georgia. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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