BUZZ
Key Takeaways
- The U.S. Department of Education is investigating San José State University's women's volleyball coach for allegedly recruiting a biological male to gain a competitive advantage, without informing the team about his gender identity.
- Internal communications revealed that the coach initially considered informing the team but chose not to, wanting to maintain control over the decision regarding the male's inclusion on the team.
- The male player made significant contributions to the team, averaging impressive kills per set, and faced emotional distress during his time at SJSU, leading to concerns about his well-being post-recruitment revelations.
A U.S. Department of Education investigation alleges a San José State University women’s volleyball coach “actively recruited” a biological male-who-identifies-as-female for his team in order to gain a competitive advantage.
The coach, identified as “Coach 1” in the department’s findings but whom Fox News “reasonably believes” is now-former SJSU coach Trent Kersten, also allegedly never informed his team that a trans-female athlete would be joining the squad.
The athlete, referred to “Student 1,” is believed to be Blaire Fleming.
“Internal email communications provided by the University indicate the head women’s volleyball coach contacted the Director of the San José State University PRIDE Center & Gender Equity Center to discuss recruiting a male volleyball player (Student 1) for the San José State University women’s indoor volleyball team,” according to the report.
The coach reportedly pondered informing the team about Student 1, but ultimately “did not want to relinquish decision making power to the women on the team regarding whether a male player would be allowed.”
The coach and Student 1 discussed disclosing the latter’s biological reality to the team (the latter reportedly wanted his teammates to know immediately), and eventually agreed Student 1 would “tell other teammates individually once [he] ‘knew them better.'”
However, “multiple” players on the SJSU volleyball team have stated they never were informed Student 1 was a male “before spending extensive time with [him] either on the court, in the locker room or in sleeping quarters.”
MORE: Brutal spike adds to controversy surrounding SJSU trans volleyball player
Fleming [Student 1] made an immediate impact for SJSU averaging 2.93 kills per set and earning a conference player of the week recognition in 2022. Then, even while battling an injury in 2023 that limited playing time, Fleming improved to average 3.57 kills per set.
The trans athlete’s best season came in 2024, amid the backdrop of the scandal.
Fleming posted a career-high 3.88 kills per set — ranking second in the entire conference — and regularly delivered high-volume scoring performances, including a career-best 25 kills in a single match. It came on senior day, in a high-stakes matchup against Colorado State with top seeding in the conference on the line.
Coach Todd Kress (pictured), who took over the team in 2023, “expressed frustration” with his predecessor (who had moved to Loyola Marymount U.), for “not checking on Student 1’s well-being” after news broke that he is male. Student 1 reportedly suffered “emotional distress” during his tenure at SJSU and was “suicidal ‘at times.'”
During the 2024 season Kress said he was “disappointed” other teams had elected to forfeit to SJSU rather than play a team with a biological male.
Kress, whom Fox News “reasonably believes” is referred to as “Coach 2” in the investigation, was never disciplined following Title IX complaints against him — allegedly to avoid “more media attention” given to the team.
MORE: SJSU trans volleyball player’s career ends—so should male participation in women’s sports
