SAN JOSE, Calif. (TNND) — San José State University (SJSU) women’s volleyball coach Todd Kress on Thursday addressed a growing number of opponents that have canceled games against his team, expressing frustration with “outside noise.”
Utah State University, the University of Wyoming, Boise State University and Southern Utah University have each forfeited games against SJSU recently. While the schools have not explicitly shared their reasoning behind these decisions, they come amid allegations in a lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) that a member of the SJSU team is transgender.
Kress, following his team’s loss to San Diego State, told reporters the experience has been difficult for his players.
“Concentrating on what we can do on the court has, quite frankly, been very tough lately,” he said. “There have been outside forces who have sought to divide our team, our university, our conference and our sport. I know it’s been weighing on the players in our locker room who have put in years of hard work.”
Kress also mentioned he and the team have received substantial hate mail related to the controversy.
Some of it, to be honest, is disgusting,” he said. “I’m more worried about our student-athletes and what they receive and how that’s impacting their mental health.”
“We have an incredible group of young women who are trying to put the controversy aside,” he added. “I just have faith that we’ll eventually be able to put the outside noise aside and be able to play for each other and find love for one another again.”
READ MORE |Utah State latest college to forfeit women's volleyball match against San José State
The coach called for those responsible for the messages to examine their conscience. He added these attacks were largely unexpected by university leadership.
I don’t think anybody saw this coming form an administrative standpoint, from a coaching standpoint, from a student-athlete standpoint, I don’t think any of us envisioned this,” he said. “We just have to keep it about volleyball no matter how difficult that is.”
Kress added his program is taking a “day by day” approach to its upcoming matchups against other schools. He acknowledged the team has “no idea” what its schedule could look like in the coming weeks.
SJSU’s volleyball account on X appears to have limited the accounts that are allowed to comment on its posts as of Friday.
When reached for comment last week, the NCAA told The National News Desk it will "continue to promote Title IX, make unprecedented investments in women’s sports and ensure fair competition for all student-athletes in all NCAA championships.”
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