LAS VEGAS — Boise State, which twice boycotted regular-season matches with San Jose State, pulled out of the Mountain West women’s volleyball tournament Wednesday night even after securing a spot in the semifinals against the Spartans.
San Jose State, which received six forfeit victories due to boycotts stemming from transgender athlete claims from Mountain West opponents, is seeded second in the conference tournament and received a first-round bye. Now the Spartans will advance all the way to Saturday’s championship match rather than take the court Friday.
MORE: SJSU volleyball player, assistant coach suing over transgender athlete claims amid 6th forfeiture
Boise State released a statement that read: “The decision to not continue to play in the 2024 Mountain West Volleyball Championship tournament was not an easy one. Our team overcame forfeitures to earn a spot in the tournament field and fought for the win over Utah State in the first round on Wednesday. They should not have to forgo this opportunity while waiting for a more thoughtful and better system that serves all athletes.”
The statement came hours after the Broncos defeated Utah State 25-19, 18-25, 25-20, 25-23 in the quarterfinals.
Boise State didn’t commit immediately after the match to playing San Jose State. What went into its decision to withdraw from the tournament was unclear, whether it was by a team vote or more of a university decision.
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