Shortly after the University of Wyoming’s decision last month to forfeit a women’s volleyball game against San Jose State due to the presence of a reportedly transgender player , associate head coach Becky Baker expressed concerns that a closely-divided team’s preferences about whether to play were being usurped by outside political pressure, according to documents obtained by USA TODAY Sports through an open records request.
In an Oct. 2 e-mail to head coach Kaylee Prigge, who was away from the team on maternity leave, Baker attached a rundown of events that had occurred over the previous week as the controversy was exploding across the Mountain West Conference.
Four teams in the league — Boise State, Wyoming, Utah State, Nevada — have decided not to play San Jose State even though the player in question is eligible according to NCAA and conference rules and has been on the team for two seasons prior to this one without incident or controversy. USA TODAY Sports is not naming the player because neither she nor the school has commented on or confirmed her gender identity.
San Jose State is now second in the league at 11-4. Wyoming is 6-9 and could very well fail to qualify for the six-team conference tournament at the end of this month due to the two losses it forfeited against the Spartans. Wyoming is currently in seventh place, 2 ½ games behind sixth place.
Though the document Baker sent to Prigge is heavily redacted, it outlines a meeting that took place on Sept. 30 — five days before the first game was scheduled — with the team and athletics director Tom Burman, deputy athletics director Matt Whisenant and senior women’s administrator Taylor Stuemky.
At the meeting, according to Baker, Burman “shared his personal opinions and acknowledged how hard of a spot the girls are in” before asking them to write “yes” or “no” on a piece of paper without their names attached.
According to the document, Whisenant told Baker that the vote was 9-9 with one player abstaining and that he then informed her the team would not play the game.
“I asked him and Taylor very specifically to make this about the people up top and the political pressures essentially taking the decision away from us,” Baker wrote. “He wanted to mention that more people said ‘no’ than last week which is influencing their decision and if our team knows/thinks that is why we canceled I don’t think I’ll ever get them back from a cultural standpoint.”
Baker wrote that the next day, the team had another meeting where Whisenant explained why they were forfeiting. A player, whose name was redacted, “asked him straight up if our vote is what did it and he said that their vote was valued but that in the end it went above us,” Baker wrote.
Baker went on to write that the practice that day was “out of sorts” and that she expected the decision would cause dissension because of how it unfolded.
“I imagine several girls are going to find me because they are pissed,” Baker wrote. “(Player’s name redacted) also then posted on their Instagram stories which is whatever cause I can’t control that, but felt pretty inconsiderate to their teammates who I know are upset.”
Baker also wrote that Burman, the athletics director, “came in and is distraught about how this is going to impact the team and confirmed it would have been taken out of his hands regardless, but I think he is getting hit with how hard this is going to effect us.”
In a Sept. 27 e-mail responding to a person whose name was redacted after Boise State became the first Mountain West team to forfeit, Burman appears conflicted on the matter, writing that he doesn’t believe it is appropriate to have a transgender player while admitting she is eligible to compete.
“I do think it’s important to note, we have played against this athlete for the past two seasons and our student-athletes felt safe in the previous matches,” Burman wrote. “She is not the best or most dominant hitter on the Spartans team. Having said that it doesn’t make it ok. We have made our position known to the MWC and San Jose State that we think this is inappropriate, but she does meet all the NCAA standards for competition and is eligible.
“If we did choose to not compete, we would have to forfeit both matches and our student-athletes are not in favor of forfeiting two matches. We will continue to chat with our team and if some choose not to play, we will absolutely support that decision.”
This story has been updated to include new information and headlines
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The Wyoming volleyball coach’s concerns over political pressure to forfeit a game against San Jose State point to the increasing ways in which sports intersect with political and social issues. In this case, external pressures may stem from differing views on state policies or university stances, which can create tension for athletes and coaches who simply want to compete. Such situations highlight the challenges faced by sports teams navigating politically charged environments while striving to maintain focus on their athletic goals. The coach’s apprehension underscores a desire to keep sports a space for unity and fair competition, emphasizing the hope that athletes can compete without being impacted by external political pressures.
The Wyoming volleyball coach’s concerns about potential political pressure to forfeit a match against San Jose State underscore the growing impact of politics on collegiate sports. This situation illustrates how external pressures, such as political stances or policies associated with institutions or states, can disrupt athletic events, potentially forcing players and coaches into difficult positions. The coach’s worry highlights a desire to prioritize the athletes’ commitment to fair competition and sportsmanship, free from political influence. The incident reflects broader questions about maintaining boundaries between sports and politics, emphasizing the hope that athletes can focus on competition rather than be drawn into political conflicts beyond their control.