Who’s Blaire Fleming? SJSU volleyball participant dominating feminine rivals and enraging girls’s rights teams

San Jose State volleyball participant Blaire Fleming constructed a affluent athletic resume en path to the epicenter of nationwide controversy. Lots of Fleming’s previous rivals needed to accept losses alongside the best way.

Fleming is the chief in kills for a San Jose State group that may compete within the Mountain West match last Saturday towards Colorado State. The athlete’s spiking capacity has been a aggressive asset and a degree of shock by critics, together with President-elect Trump, amid the controversy over Fleming competing towards girls as a transgender athlete. 

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However the group and coach Todd Kress have ridden the ability of Fleming’s spikes again to the convention last for the second time since 2022, Fleming’s first season at San Jose State. 

This time, they did not even need to play within the semifinal to get there after Boise State forfeited a semifinal match to the Spartans amid the controversy. However even when Fleming’s presence is not prompting different groups to present a match away, which has resulted in seven convention wins for San Jose State this 12 months, Fleming’s pure bodily capacity continues to be there to assist the group win. 

That capacity has been there since highschool. 

Fleming broke information towards feminine gamers as a teen

Fleming was born in 2002 at Offutt Air Power Base in Nebraska, simply south of Omaha. However Fleming grew up in Aldie, Virginia. Fleming has additionally been known as “Brayden Fleming” in reviews from a number of media retailers. San Jose State’s official volleyball web site lists the participant’s beginning identify as Blaire Rene Fleming. 

Fleming performed ladies’ volleyball at John Champe Excessive College. At a listed peak of 6-foot-1, Fleming is inches taller than the common girls’s school volleyball recruit of 5-foot-9, based on NCSA School Recruiting. 

The benefit in peak and spiking capacity coincided with Fleming being a game-changing participant for John Champe and ladies volleyball head coach Jasmine Jackson.

In November 2018, Fleming posted a spotlight reel for faculty recruiters on the highschool sports activities social media website Hudl. Fleming’s highlights confirmed a number of clips that demonstrated the athlete’s leaping and spiking capacity. 

Many of the clips present the identical kind of play time and again: Fleming leaping excessive above the online, larger than some other participant on the court docket, and slamming the ball down with authority as lure music blared within the background. A number of opponents have been seen diving to the ground in an try to succeed in Fleming’s spike on time however falling effectively in need of the place Fleming’s spike landed.

One 12 months later, Fleming was the centerpiece of the most effective volleyball group in John Champe Excessive College historical past with a historic 19-win season in 2019 – Fleming’s senior 12 months. That 12 months, Fleming was named first-team all-district and set the college’s single-season document for kills in a season with 266. Fleming set the college’s single-game document for kills with 30 towards Battlefield Excessive College in September of that 12 months. 

The Hudl video of that recreation confirmed Fleming with dyed blonde hair, main the group to victory with 30 highly effective slams.

Fleming’s completed as runners-up within the district match and made the regional playoffs that 12 months, and Fleming was topped the group’s MVP by teammates. 

Fleming left crimson South Carolina for deep blue California early in school

Fleming’s school profession started at Coastal Carolina through the COVID-affected 2020 season. So Fleming’s school debut got here just a few months later than standard, in October that 12 months. And whilst a real freshman, Fleming averaged 1.86 kills per set, third on the group. 

Fleming’s dominance got here out much more when the sport mattered most. After a staggering 19-1 common season, Coastal Carolina reached the Solar Belt Convention championship recreation towards Texas State. Fleming put up career-highs in kills with 12, three digs and two blocks, however Fleming’s group misplaced within the deciding fifth set.

That was the final match Fleming performed for Coastal Carolina, and it will be one other 22 months earlier than Fleming performed one other school volleyball recreation after coming into the switch portal. 

No motive has been formally given by Fleming, nor San Jose State or Coastal Carolina, for the participant deciding to switch. If Fleming had stayed at Coastal Carolina, it is doable the participant would not have been taking part in in a convention championship recreation this 12 months with out breaking state regulation.

South Carolina, the place Coastal Carolina is situated, handed the Save Ladies’s Sports activities Act Might 16, 2022. The invoice was prefilled Nov. 17, 2021. 

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No stats or video games have been recorded for Fleming for the 2021 season. However Fleming received an opportunity for a brand new begin in California at San Jose State. 

In accordance with a lawsuit towards the Mountain West filed by a plaintiff record that features suspended San Jose State volleyball coach Melissa Batie-Smoose, former head volleyball coach Trent Kersten allegedly focused Fleming as a switch recruit and gave the athlete a full scholarship, allegedly whereas figuring out Fleming is a organic male. 

“Previous to the 2022 season the then coach of the SJSU Workforce, Trent Kersten, recruited an outdoor hitter from Coastal Carolina College, a NCAA Division I program in Conway, South Carolina, named Blaire Fleming, who had entered the switch portal,” a lawsuit states. 

“Fleming was given a full scholarship to play for the SJSU Workforce. On data and perception, SJSU suggested the MWC that Blaire Fleming was a trans-identifying male and could be taking part in girls’s volleyball on the SJSU Workforce.”

Kersten left this system after the 2022 season. 

California is certainly one of 24 states that permit transgender student-athletes to play for groups that match their gender identification. The Golden State’s regulation is among the oldest of its kind within the nation, having been in place since 2013. 

Nevertheless, based on the lawsuit, when this system made the choice to recruit Fleming out of the switch portal, the coaches concerned allegedly did not exit of their approach to inform all of the gamers on the group.

San Jose State has confirmed to Fox Information Digital the college by no means formally notified any of the opponents on its schedule of the continued controversy and lawsuits by which Fleming is called this season. 

Different San Jose State gamers allege they missed out on scholarships as a result of they could not compete with Fleming bodily

Former San Jose State volleyball gamers Alyssa Sugai and Elle Patterson have joined the lawsuit towards the Mountain West and recounted the occasions that led to them now not being on the group. 

Sugai claims she was informed by coaches she was not “bodily” sufficient as a participant in comparison with Fleming.

“On account of her frustration and emotions of inadequacy, as a result of she was not capable of make the beginning line-up via effort and sacrifice and since her diminished taking part in time behind Fleming prevented her from receiving provides via the switch portal, Sugai confronted despair throughout and after the switch portal interval and in the end decided that she had no real looking selection apart from to surrender taking part in collegiate volleyball after the 2022 season,” a court docket doc states. 

Blaire Fleming of the San Jose State Spartans makes an attempt to dam a shot through the first set towards the Air Power Falcons at Falcon Court docket at East Fitness center Oct. 19, 2024, in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Andrew Wevers/Getty Photographs)

“Shedding to Fleming precipitated Sugai to doubt her capacity to play volleyball at a excessive degree, although she had rigorously educated and competed since childhood. It additionally precipitated her to doubt her self-worth and precipitated her to really feel ‘defeated.’”

Patterson additionally performed behind Fleming and alleges the college didn’t fulfill earlier verbal provides of a scholarship to her for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Patterson says she even paid full tuition to play in 2023 after being informed she would get a scholarship for 2024. Nevertheless, this system didn’t make good on that provide both, she alleges. 

“Finally, Patterson knowledgeable Affiliate Head Coach Batie-Smoose and Head Coach Todd Kress that she was financially unable to pay for full out-of-state tuition, room and board at SJSU once more in 2024 and subsequently could be unable to return to the SJSU Workforce with out a scholarship,” the paperwork state. 

“However, Todd Kress remained agency in his place that Patterson wouldn’t obtain a scholarship to play on the SJSU Workforce in 2024, and that Fleming would obtain a full scholarship to play on the SJSU Workforce.”

Fleming has been accused of a number of unconfirmed allegations involving teammate Brooke Slusser, however the two nonetheless play like a star duo

San Jose State volleyball co-captain Brooke Slusser will take the ground beside Fleming for the Spartans on Saturday evening within the championship recreation. Slusser will probably be doing this regardless of being on the forefront of the lawsuit towards the Mountain West over Fleming’s presence on the group and the lawsuit towards the NCAA over its insurance policies on gender identification headed by Riley Gaines. 

Slusser has alleged that she was by no means informed what Fleming’s organic intercourse was when Slusser transferred to San Jose State in 2023, one 12 months after Fleming did. Slusser additionally alleges she shared residing areas with Fleming and ceaselessly was assigned to share lodge rooms for highway video games as a result of Fleming requested it. 

“Slusser did be taught nevertheless that the explanation she had been assigned to room with Fleming so usually throughout highway journeys within the 2023 season was that Kress and different SJSU girls’s volleyball officers requested Fleming who Fleming wished to room with, and Fleming selected Slusser,” the court docket paperwork say. 

Slusser beforehand informed Fox Information Digital in an unique interview that she wouldn’t have “opened up” with Fleming on the non-public degree she had throughout that first season had she recognized Fleming was a transgender athlete. 

The lawsuit claims Fleming admitted to being a organic male in a dialog with Slusser over ice cream in April. 

“Slusser requested why Fleming had not shared this data along with her earlier than, significantly as they’d been residing collectively. Fleming responded that there by no means gave the impression to be an excellent time to carry it up, and that he had been afraid that Slusser won’t be his pal if Slusser knew the reality. Fleming additionally stated that if Slusser was uncomfortable with it that Fleming would depart the volleyball group,” the paperwork state. 

Issues received extra sophisticated in October, when Slusser alleges she realized of a plot by Fleming to have her spiked within the face by a volleyball throughout a recreation towards Colorado State Oct. 3. The lawsuit alleges the incident was reported by teammate Tanner Manusky to Kress and Batie-Smoose the evening earlier than the sport, and that Manusky was current throughout a dialog between Fleming and Colorado State participant Malaya Jones. 

Jones is among the solely gamers within the convention with higher kill numbers than Fleming. 

Batie-Smoose was suspended by this system after submitting a Title IX grievance that included the identical allegations. 

In accordance with a letter obtained by Fox Information Digital from Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez, the convention says it carried out an investigation into the allegations of the Title IX grievance however didn’t discover adequate proof to substantiate the claims. Slusser’s lawyer has supplied a press release to Fox Information Digital questioning the validity of the investigation. 

Slusser beforehand informed Fox Information Digital this system’s response to the allegations makes her really feel “unsafe” and being handled unfairly in comparison with Fleming. 

Brooke Slusser and Blaire Fleming (Getty Photographs)

“If this was me, and I used to be the one threatening to do that to my teammate who’s precipitated a lot commotion, there would have been motion taken instantly,” Slusser stated. “I used to be positively very indignant, and I used to be glad at first to know that it was already made conscious to the teaching employees and compliance and everybody, however I do not know if that made me really feel any otherwise. I used to be simply indignant as a result of I did not assume somebody would go to those lengths.

“Threatening to wish to harm certainly one of your individual teammates, I simply really feel like there’s so many issues in that entire dialog that may make a faculty wish to get it handled.” 

Slusser additionally stated she has not spoken with Fleming in regards to the allegations, including that talking with the athlete “is not value my breath.” 

“I believe anybody can see that is in my circle and within the fitness center that they are not right here to help me. They’re right here to help Blaire, and so they have determined that they are going to principally do something to maintain supporting Blaire and to not be there for me and my wants,” Slusser stated. “I simply have determined you possibly can’t actually belief anybody right here.” 

Fox Information Digital has reached out for a remark in response from Fleming through San Jose State College a number of occasions however has not obtained a response. 

Regardless of these tensions, when Slusser and Fleming are on the court docket collectively, they play as probably the most efficient duos within the convention. Slusser and Fleming have been every named to the Mountain West all-conference honorable point out record. 

The Spartans completed the common season with the third-best hitting proportion within the convention. Slusser completed with a high 10 particular person hitting proportion within the convention. Fleming was second within the convention in kills per set with a .386, nonetheless effectively behind Colorado State’s Jones, who led the best way at .457. 

In Slusser’s first lawsuit towards the NCAA, she alleged Fleming’s spikes journey at 80 miles per hour and that her and her teammates felt as if they “could not shield themselves.” 

Nonetheless, Slusser has been fast to assist arrange Fleming for a few of these signature spikes regardless of the state of affairs. 

Throughout video games, they’ve been seen carefully speaking, even patting one another on the again and huddling up subsequent to one another. 

Brooke Slusser and Blaire Fleming of the San Jose State Spartans name a play through the first set towards the Air Power Falcons at Falcon Court docket at East Fitness center Oct. 19, 2024, in Colorado Springs, Colo.  (Andrew Wevers/Getty Photographs)

Within the first recreation performed after Slusser filed her lawsuit towards the Mountain West, the Spartans confronted Colorado State in a rematch of a recreation by which Fleming was alleged to have conspired to have Slusser spiked within the face. 

Fleming was cheered throughout Senior Day ceremonies by the San Jose State crowd, and a few followers even introduced indicators into the world in help of the transgender participant. 

And, with Slusser’s assist, Fleming placed on the most effective performances of the athlete’s profession. Fleming completed the match with 24 kills, one shy of a profession excessive, and a game-winning service ace within the decisive fifth set. 

When the ball from that play hit the ground, Slusser joined the remainder of her teammates in dashing to embrace Fleming and rejoice the game-winning play. It put the group in place to play within the convention match. 

Fleming’s presence on the championship-contending group has sparked outrage, sympathy and was even contested in court docket

Fleming had not made any public statements Fox Information Digital was conscious of on the time of publication, because the controversy surrounding the group erupted nationally. 

The athlete has been the topic of frequent on-line dialogue that has grow to be extra confrontational because the season has progressed. 

San Jose State didn’t reply to questions on whether or not Fleming has been harassed or threatened throughout controversy. Nevertheless, the college has confirmed the group has had armed police safety since September after information of the primary forfeit on the schedule.

“The group has been a topic of serious consideration, not all of it constructive, and we’re making certain their safety,” a spokesperson informed Fox Information Digital. 

Fox Information Digital supplied a collection of inquiries to San Jose State in regards to the measures it’s taking to guard the gamers, together with whether or not digital forensics by the college police division is getting used or whether or not the state of affairs has been elevated to state or federal investigators. 

“The college has requested college students and employees to share all regarding communications with UPD to be evaluated and addressed appropriately, together with along side correct authorities the place acceptable,” stated a part of a press release San Jose State supplied to Fox Information Digital.

Trump referred to as out Fleming throughout a city corridor occasion on Fox Information Channel’s “The Faulkner Focus” Oct. 17.

“I noticed the slam, it was a slam. I by no means noticed a ball hit so arduous, hit the lady within the head,” Trump stated. “However different folks, even in volleyball, they’ve been completely, I imply, they’ve been actually harm badly. Ladies taking part in males. However you don’t need to do the volleyball. We cease it. We cease it. We completely cease it. You possibly can’t have it.” 

Trump additionally revealed his intention to ban transgender inclusion in girls’s sports activities if elected.

San Jose State has insisted the footage Trump is referring to reveals the ball hitting one other participant’s arm, not her head.

Excessive-profile figures and social media teams, together with Gaines, the Worldwide Council on Ladies’s Sports activities (ICONS), XX-XY Athletics and the favored right-wing X account “Libs of TikTok” have ceaselessly used Fleming’s picture and story to advertise consciousness for opposing transgender inclusion in girls’s and ladies sports activities. 

Nevertheless, some have additionally come out in help of Fleming. 

Fleming was defended in a latest ESPN interview by transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, who tied Gaines on the 2022 NCAA championships, sparking Gaines’ ongoing lawsuit towards the NCAA. 

“To have my very own private identification and personhood became a tradition struggle speaking level simply completely takes all my humanity away. It may be very troublesome to maintain making an attempt to persevere via that,” Thomas stated.

A number of left-leaning media retailers have chosen to not establish Fleming by identify in protection of the group and state of affairs. 

The problem of defending Fleming’s identification was even a prolonged speaking level in a latest emergency listening to in Colorado that determined whether or not Fleming could be allowed to play within the Mountain West match. 

Federal Decide Kato Crews presided over the listening to introduced by Slusser, Batie-Smoose and the opposite Mountain West gamers with their lawsuit towards the convention. The gamers and Utah State aimed to contest Fleming’s eligibility to compete within the upcoming match and to reverse the six convention wins awarded to San Jose State after groups forfeited over Fleming’s presence. 

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Crews devoted the primary 45 minutes of a listening to to a debate over what pronouns to make use of whereas referring to Fleming and whether or not the athlete’s identify ought to be used. Crews dominated that the participant’s identify could possibly be used and that anybody might use pronouns they felt like utilizing. 

Crews dominated that Fleming was eligible to play within the match. It was a choice that enraged activists combating transgender inclusion and has solely raised the warmth of the controversy Fleming and the opposite Spartan gamers are taking part in via. 

Fleming’s presence has primarily ensured, by itself, that San Jose State will play within the convention championship with an opportunity to clinch an NCAA match berth after Boise State forfeited a semifinal match. 

The final time Fleming performed in a convention championship, the athlete had a profession day. Now, Fleming is a senior, presumably taking part in school volleyball for the final time below a a lot brighter and intense nationwide microscope. The nation will watch and see how Fleming impacts the course of ladies’s sports activities historical past. 

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