Suspended SJSU Volleyball Coach Says 'Safety Is Being Taken Away From Women'
San Jose State asst. volleyball coach Melissa Batie-Smoose, who coached transgender Blaire Fleming, continues to speak out about protecting women's sports.
OutKick exclusively reported her suspension, which began on Nov. 2.
The university sent a statement to OutKick confirming the news, but did not provide a reason.
"The associate head coach of the San Jose State University women’s volleyball team is not with the team at this time, and we will not provide further information on this matter," SJSU said in a statement.
The obvious reasoning is Batie-Smoose's opposition to transgender athletes competing in women's sports. San Jose State has a transgender player, Blaire Fleming, on its volleyball team.
San Jose State asst. volleyball coach Melissa Batie-Smoose, who coached transgender Blaire Fleming, is speaking out about protecting women's sports.
(SJSU Athletics)
Batie-Smoose joined Fox News on Monday.
"Safety is being taken away from women," Batie-Smoose said on "America's Newsroom." "Fair play is taken away from women. We need more and more people to do this and fight this fight because women’s sports, as we know it right now, will be forever changed."
Batie-Smoose noted that she's currently suspended with pay, but team co-captain Brooke Slusser previously told OutKick that the school's handling of the situation makes it clear they ultimately want to fire the associate head coach.
"To the public, they're saying that she's just pending on leave, and they don't really know what's going to happen yet. But everything that they've shown us with their actions, they have fired her," Slusser said.
The co-captain noted what a huge blow it was to lose Batie-Smoose.
"I don't think the school sees how much they just basically ruined this program by taking Melissa away from us," she said. "So, who knows what's to come in the future [with regard] to what our team will do or how we will react from this."
San Jose State co-captain Brooke Slusser has also spoken out about transgender player Blaire Fleming, and said the school suspending Batie-Smoose "ruined" the school's volleyball program.
(Getty Images)
San Jose State faced San Diego State on Saturday and lost. But, perhaps more notable is what happened in the stands.
OutKick's Alejandro Avila attended the match and reported that "several attendees, including SDSU's campus Turning Point staff members, led ‘No men in women’s sports’ chants."
Security eventually intervened and told one of the chanters that he "violated Mountain West Conference guidelines by leading chants that promoted keeping men out of women's sports."
All of this is going to come to a head soon, as the Mountain West tournament is fast approaching.
San Jose State currently sits in second place, largely due to their six forfeit victories. If they finish in that position, they would earn a bye straight to the semifinals.
The Spartans are next scheduled to take the court on Saturday against the Mountain West-leading Colorado State Rams, the team that Fleming allegedly colluded with earlier this season to throw a match.