EXCLUSIVE: Southern Utah Refuses To Play San Jose State Volleyball, Which Has Transgender Player

The Santa Clara Tournament is taking place this weekend, featuring four women's volleyball programs. Those schools include Southern Utah, San Jose State, Santa Clara and Fresno State. 

As OutKick previously reported, a player for the San Jose State team, Blaire Fleming, hid the fact that the player was born as a male to play on the women's team. 

Southern Utah was scheduled to play against San Jose State on Saturday, but the match was canceled. 

Southern Utah women's volleyball canceled its scheduled match against San Jose State, which has a transgender player on the team. 

(Mountain West Conference/themw.com)

OutKick reached out to Southern Utah to see why the match was no longer being played. 

"The Southern Utah University volleyball team has opted to compete in just two non-conference games at the Santa Clara Tournament this weekend," the school said in a statement to OutKick. 

"The Thunderbirds are eager to make the most of these matches and continue building momentum for a successful season. Southern Utah has informed the tournament directors and opposing teams of this decision, and we wish them well with the remainder of their respective seasons." 

OutKick followed up with Southern Utah to ask if they refused to play the match because San Jose State has a transgender player on the team. 

They did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the specifics of why they canceled the match. 

San Jose State did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the canceled match. 

Southern Utah played two matches on Friday, losing to Fresno State before beating host Santa Clara. 

Southern Utah women's volleyball canceled its scheduled match against San Jose State, which has a transgender player on the team. 

(Southern Utah University Athletics)

San Jose State is 5-0 this season and won the Hawkeye Invitational tournament last weekend. 

Blaire Fleming, who was born male with the name Brayden according to Reduxx, was named to the All-Tournament Team. 

While Southern Utah would not confirm that they canceled the match because of a transgender opponent, it's difficult to find another reason for the sudden change, which was still on the schedule as of earlier this week. 

It's worth noting that former Southern Utah Track & Field athlete Madison DeBos strongly spoke out about women competing against transgender athletes after she faced a biological male who competed for the University of Montana. 

Riley Gaines, host of the OutKick podcast "Gaines for Girls" and one of the most influential pro-woman voices in the country, believes that Southern Utah canceled the match because San Jose State has a biological male on its team. 

"I can't imagine this was an easy decision, but it's one that sends a clear message: female athletes deserve safety, respect, and the right to fair competition," Gaines said. 

Blaire Fleming is a member of the San Jose State women's volleyball team, which had its scheduled match against Southern Utah canceled.

(San Jose State Athletics)

"This is the type of leadership and sacrifice that speaks louder than any game won or lost, setting a powerful precedent for future generations of women in sports.

"Playing against a team with a male competitor not only tips the scales of fairness but also introduces an unacceptable level of physical risk," she continued. 

"Safety isn't just a concern — it's a necessity, one that cannot be compromised in the name of victory or participation. When we prioritize safety over inclusion, we show that the well-being and integrity of women’s sports matter more than any scoreboard." 

While OutKick can confirm Blaire Fleming is a prominent member of the undefeated team – as evidenced by Fleming receiving All-Tournament honors last weekend – the school could not tell us whether Fleming is receiving an athletic scholarship. 

"This student information is protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)," San Jose State said in a statement. 

Fleming and the San Jose State Spartans return to the court on Sunday afternoon for their only match of the Santa Clara invitational, which will be played against the host school, Santa Clara. 

They are not scheduled to play Fresno State in the tournament because they already play Fresno State as part of their Mountain West conference schedule.