The contract of Melissa Batie-Smoose, former assistant volleyball coach at San Jose State University (SJSU), was not renewed following a season marked by controversy surrounding a transgender athlete. Batie-Smoose, who relocated her family across the country to accept the position in 2023, expressed her commitment to advocating for the female athletes under her guidance, emphasizing her belief that her presence at SJSU was meant to protect them. She lauded the strength and resilience of the young women on the team, citing their ability to navigate a challenging season as her motivation for taking a stand. The university declined to comment on personnel matters, offering no explanation for Batie-Smoose’s departure.
Batie-Smoose’s suspension from the program stemmed from a Title IX complaint she filed against SJSU, alleging mishandling of a situation involving former transgender player Blaire Fleming. The complaint included accusations that Fleming colluded with an opposing player to target SJSU co-captain Brooke Slusser during a match. Batie-Smoose defended her actions, stating she felt compelled to speak out against the alleged silencing and manipulation of the female athletes, even if it meant jeopardizing her job. She expressed hope that her stance would ultimately contribute to justice and allow her to continue coaching. Concurrent with her departure, Batie-Smoose is involved in a lawsuit against SJSU and the Mountain West Conference alongside 11 current and former conference players, including Slusser.
The lawsuit, spearheaded by Slusser, alleges that the university withheld information about Fleming’s birth sex from Slusser and other players, forcing them to share intimate spaces with Fleming. Both the lawsuit and Batie-Smoose’s Title IX complaint accuse Fleming of conspiring with Colorado State player Malaya Jones to gain a competitive edge and orchestrate an attack on Slusser during a match. The alleged plan involved Jones spiking the ball directly at Slusser’s face. While Slusser was not struck in the face during the game, which Colorado State won, these allegations formed the core of the legal action.
A Mountain West investigation into these claims concluded without disciplinary action against any named players. A letter from the conference to the athletic directors of both SJSU and Colorado State, obtained by Fox News Digital, cited insufficient evidence to support the allegations of “manipulation of the competition.” The letter did not explicitly refute the claims but stated the evidence gathered through interviews with coaches and student-athletes from both universities was inadequate. The conference declined to provide details about the individuals interviewed, leading Slusser’s attorney, Bill Bock, to criticize the investigation as biased and demand the release of the investigative report and all related documents.
Slusser, in previous statements to Fox News Digital, recounted a prior incident where she was hit in the face with a volleyball, describing it as a minor sting. However, she emphasized the severity of a spike she received to her thigh from Fleming, resulting in dark bruises that lasted a week. At the time, Slusser was unaware of Fleming’s transgender status. Following Batie-Smoose’s suspension, Slusser expressed feelings of insecurity and a lack of trust in the remaining coaching staff, particularly head coach Todd Kress. She highlighted Batie-Smoose’s ability to validate the players’ concerns, a quality she felt was absent in other members of the coaching staff.
The controversy surrounding Fleming continued to impact the team, with nearly every player with remaining eligibility entering the transfer portal after the season. Batie-Smoose attributed this exodus to the players’ unwillingness to endure further mental anguish and manipulation by the university. She expressed support for their decision and wished them well. SJSU competed in the conference championship game against Colorado State but lost, eliminating them from the NCAA tournament. Batie-Smoose, despite her suspension, attended the game to support her former players. Slusser’s lawsuit remains ongoing, and she is also involved in a separate lawsuit against the NCAA alongside swimmer Riley Gaines, challenging the organization’s policies on transgender athletes competing in women’s sports. The confluence of these events highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports and the complex issues it raises for athletes, coaches, and institutions.
