Coach of transgender NCAA volleyball player blames opposing teams who forfeited for 'hateful messages' toward his school

The coach of San Jose State University women's volleyball team blamed the forfeiture of games over a transgender player as the source of hatred toward the team, not the fact that the women's team has a man playing on it.

Coach Todd Kress, who has never publicly disagreed with or condemned the male athlete playing (Blaire Fleming) on his women's team, made the claims after losing the Mountain West Tournament final on Saturday.

He began by stating his school followed all the rules.

"I will not sugarcoat our reality for the last two months. 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," Kress wrote.

Kress has continuously stated that forfeits by other teams — which totaled five other schools — took opportunities away from the girls on his team but has failed to mention why the other schools forfeited in the first place.

"Sadly, others who for years have played this same team without incident chose not to play us this season. To be clear, we did not celebrate a single win by forfeiture. Instead, we braced for the fallout," the coach told Fox News. "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."

SJSU qualified for the MWC tournament with a first-round bye after putting up its best start in program history. After Boise State refused to play against SJSU for a second time, they went straight to the final where they lost to Colorado State University.

"Our team played their hearts out today, the way they have done all season. I want to recognize and thank our seniors — Alessia [Buffagni], Chandler [Manusky], Brooke [Bryant], Brooke and Blaire — for their tremendous efforts on the court all season long. They have all helped us to get where we are," Kress added.

'We've had meetings, and it's a lot of just checking in on Blaire.'

Kress called the past season "one of the most difficult" he's experienced and said "ensuring the overall safety and well-being" of his players has been his priority.

That is not how SJSU player Brooke Slusser described the treatment of the team during an exclusive interview with Blaze News in September, however.

"We've had meetings, and it's a lot of just checking in on Blaire. ... We were like 'what about us?'" Slusser said.

Coach Kress has remained consistent in not addressing the obvious root of the problem at SJSU. In October, he called it "completely ridiculous" that players on his team were receiving "messages of hate," while adding that the forfeits "hurt" SJSU athletes.

According to an SJSU assistant coach, who has since been suspended, Kress has even filed complaints against his own athletes for speaking out against the team's male athlete.

Kress has allegedly filed at least one Title IX complaint against Slusser on the basis that she has referred to Fleming using masculine pronouns during media interviews. Kress allegedly described this as a threat to the rights of trans women.

Former NCAA swimmers gave remarks on Kress' latest stance, including Riley Gaines who notoriously competed against male swimmer Lia Thomas.

"Ah, yes. Blame the women for wanting safe and fair sport. Not the narcissistic man. One man's feelings > all women's safety," Gaines wrote on X.

Kaitlynn Wheeler, who was on the same Kentucky swim team, wrote, "SJSU coach defends male in women's volleyball & then calls the women 'hateful' for forfeiting to protect their safety & fairness. Women are 'hateful' but a man in their sport is 'brave'? This is pure misogyny & gaslighting of female athletes."

SJSU officials and Kress have not responded to Blaze News' requests for comment on multiple occasions.

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