After the Boise State University women’s volleyball team forfeited a match against San Jose State University on Nov. 27, 2024, Idaho officials showed support. The forfeit was presumably due to BSU not wishing to compete against a transgender player on the opposing team, though reasoning was never explicitly provided.
Following the forfeit, the university and volleyball team received mixed reactions for their decision. Lawmakers in Idaho praised the action while the NCAA community criticized it.
In an aim at giving both the university and the team extra support, Idaho lawmakers created a new resolution, House Concurrent Resolution No. 2, which prompts the NCAA to make changes in their policies regarding transgender athletes. Amongst the Idaho officials, the final vote was 61 in favor, eight opposed and one absent.
The match, which would have been the semifinals in the Mountain West Conference, was not the only match they forfeited against SJSU. Not even a week earlier, according to the Mountain West Conference website, they forfeited an additional regular-season game.
By refusing to play in the semifinal match, BSU removed themselves from the tournament. Governor Brad Little personally expressed his pride for the team in his 2025 State of the State Address on Jan. 6, 2025.
“I’m incredibly proud of Boise State University’s women’s volleyball team for standing up for what’s right,” Little said.
Little and Idaho lawmakers are not the only ones who supported this decision. BSU previously forfeited to the SJSU Spartans twice in the regular season, but so did other teams. In the season leading up to the MWC, Mountain West members Wyoming, Utah State, Nevada and Southern Utah all cancelled their games against SJSU.