On paper, San Jose State University’s (SJSU) women’s volleyball team appears to be on an impressive winning streak. But in reality, it’s largely because a series of female volleyball teams have forfeited matches in protest of SJSU’s biological male player. Southern Utah University’s (SUU) team led the charge, followed shortly by the girls from Boise State University (BSU). It didn’t take long for the University of Wyoming (UW) and Utah State University (USU) to join the club, and the University of Nevada Reno (UNR) women’s volleyball team is the latest to follow suit.

The story surrounding UNR’s forfeit unfolded differently than that of the other schools. While SSU, BSU, and UW all made vague, yet public, statements that they would not compete against SJSU, UNR initially agreed to move forward with the match. But, as OutKick pointed out, “the school did not consult with the players before making that statement.”

Upon learning of UNR’s statement, the girls on the team held a vote about whether or not they would compete against the team with a biological male. Ultimately, despite the school’s desire to make them play against a 6’1” man who thinks he’s a woman, the players voted against participating in the competition.

OutKick received this statement from UNR’s female volleyball team: “We, the University of Nevada Reno women’s volleyball team, forfeit against San Jose State University and stand united in solidarity with the volleyball teams of Southern Utah University, Boise State University, the University of Wyoming, and Utah State University. We demand that our right to safety and fair competition on the court be upheld. We refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes.”

Sia Liilii, a senior on UNR’s volleyball team, added, “The school released that statement without consulting our team at all,” and “we were pretty upset that we were not made aware that a statement was going to come out.” As she went on to say, she and her teammates felt they couldn’t “participate in a game that advances sex-based discrimination or injustice against female athletes,” even if it meant going against the university or facing backlash.

UNR responded to the vote, stating that “the players’ decision does not represent the position of the University.” Additionally, UNR’s athletic department claimed the school “intends to move forward with the match as scheduled” since “the players’ decision and statement were made independently, and without consultation with the University or the athletic department.” UNR’s lengthy response went on to say that the school and its “athletic programs are governed by the Nevada Constitution and Nevada law,” as well as “federal law” and “the rules and regulations of the NCAA and the Mountain West Conference, which include providing competition in an inclusive and supportive environment.”

UNR concluded, “[T]he players may choose not to participate in the match on the day of the contest. No players will be subject to any team disciplinary action for their decision not to participate in the match.” As OutKick’s Dan ZakSheske wrote, “It will be interesting to see if San Jose State decides to travel to this match knowing that the players intend to forfeit.”

In a comment to The Washington Stand, Mary Szoch, former Division I athlete and director of Family Research Council’s Center for Human Dignity, remarked, “UNR has just placed themselves on a list of universities that no one should feel comfortable going to.”

She continued, “Not only can they not tell the difference between a man and a woman — which is shameful for a university — but even worse, they are willing to put the lives of the female athletes representing them at risk. The women who stood up against this should be commended for not cowering to the administration and coaching staff. These women have clearly learned the lessons of leadership, hard work, and fairness that sports are meant to teach. When they graduate, any company should be proud to hire these women.”

“My hope,” Szoch concluded, “is that their witness will inspire women everywhere to stand up for themselves against injustice.”