San Jose State volleyball player Blaire Fleming built a prosperous athletic resume en route to the epicenter of national controversy. Many of Fleming’s past competitors had to settle for losses along the way.
Fleming is the leader in kills for a San Jose State team that will compete in the Mountain West tournament final Saturday against Colorado State. The athlete’s spiking ability has been a competitive asset and a point of outrage by critics, including President-elect Trump, amid the controversy over Fleming competing against women as a transgender athlete.
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But the team and coach Todd Kress have ridden the power of Fleming’s spikes back to the conference final for the second time since 2022, Fleming’s first season at San Jose State.
This time, they didn’t even have to play in the semifinal to get there after Boise State forfeited a semifinal match to the Spartans amid the controversy. But even when Fleming’s presence isn’t prompting other teams to give a match away, which has resulted in seven conference wins for San Jose State this year, Fleming’s natural physical ability is still there to help the team win.
That ability has been there since high school.
Fleming broke records against female players as a teen
Fleming was born in 2002 at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, just south of Omaha. But Fleming grew up in Aldie, Virginia. Fleming has also been referred to as “Brayden Fleming” in reports from multiple media outlets. San Jose State’s official volleyball website lists the player’s birth name as Blaire Rene Fleming.
Fleming played girls’ volleyball at John Champe High School. At a listed height of 6-foot-1, Fleming is inches taller than the average women’s college volleyball recruit of 5-foot-9, according to NCSA College Recruiting.
The advantage in height and spiking ability coincided with Fleming being a game-changing player for John Champe and girls volleyball head coach Jasmine Jackson.
In November 2018, Fleming posted a highlight reel for college recruiters on the high school sports social media site Hudl. Fleming’s highlights showed multiple clips that demonstrated the athlete’s leaping and spiking ability.
Most of the clips show the same type of play over and over again: Fleming leaping high above the net, higher than any other player on the court, and slamming the ball down with authority as trap music blared in the background. Multiple opponents were seen diving to the floor in an attempt to reach Fleming’s spike on time but falling well short of where Fleming’s spike landed.
One year later, Fleming was the centerpiece of the best volleyball team in John Champe High School history with a historic 19-win season in 2019 – Fleming’s senior year. That year, Fleming was named first-team all-district and set the school’s single-season record for kills in a season with 266. Fleming set the school’s single-game record for kills with 30 against Battlefield High School in September of that year.
The Hudl video of that game showed Fleming with dyed blonde hair, leading the team to victory with 30 powerful slams.
Fleming’s finished as runners-up in the district tournament and made the regional playoffs that year, and Fleming was crowned the team’s MVP by teammates.
Fleming left red South Carolina for deep blue California early in college
Fleming’s college career began at Coastal Carolina during the COVID-affected 2020 season. So Fleming’s college debut came a few months later than usual, in October that year. And even as a true freshman, Fleming averaged 1.86 kills per set, third on the team.
Fleming’s dominance came out even more when the game mattered most. After a staggering 19-1 regular season, Coastal Carolina reached the Sun Belt Conference championship game against Texas State. Fleming put up career-highs in kills with 12, three digs and two blocks, but Fleming’s team lost in the deciding fifth set.
That was the last match Fleming played for Coastal Carolina, and it would be another 22 months before Fleming played another college volleyball game after entering the transfer portal.
No reason has been officially given by Fleming, nor San Jose State or Coastal Carolina, for the player deciding to transfer. If Fleming had stayed at Coastal Carolina, it’s possible the player wouldn’t have been playing in a conference championship game this year without breaking state law.
South Carolina, where Coastal Carolina is located, passed the Save Women’s Sports Act May 16, 2022. The bill was prefilled Nov. 17, 2021.
No stats or games have been recorded for Fleming for the 2021 season. But Fleming got a chance for a new start in California at San Jose State.
According to a lawsuit against the Mountain West filed by a plaintiff list that includes suspended San Jose State volleyball coach Melissa Batie-Smoose, former head volleyball coach Trent Kersten allegedly targeted Fleming as a transfer recruit and gave the athlete a full scholarship, allegedly while knowing Fleming is a biological male.
“Prior to the 2022 season the then coach of the SJSU Team, Trent Kersten, recruited an outside hitter from Coastal Carolina University, a NCAA Division I program in Conway, South Carolina, named Blaire Fleming, who had entered the transfer portal,” a lawsuit states.
“Fleming was given a full scholarship to play for the SJSU Team. On information and belief, SJSU advised the MWC that Blaire Fleming was a trans-identifying male and would be participating in women’s volleyball on the SJSU Team.”
Kersten left the program after the 2022 season.
California is one of 24 states that allow transgender student-athletes to play for teams that match their gender identity. The Golden State’s law is one of the oldest of its type in the country, having been in place since 2013.
However, according to the lawsuit, when the program made the decision to recruit Fleming out of the transfer portal, the coaches involved allegedly didn’t go out of their way to inform all the players on the team.
San Jose State has confirmed to Fox News Digital the university never formally notified any of the opponents on its schedule of the ongoing controversy and lawsuits in which Fleming is named this season.
Other San Jose State players allege they missed out on scholarships because they couldn’t compete with Fleming physically
Former San Jose State volleyball players Alyssa Sugai and Elle Patterson have joined the lawsuit against the Mountain West and recounted the events that led to them no longer being on the team.
Sugai claims she was told by coaches she was not “physical” enough as a player compared to Fleming.
“As a result of her frustration and feelings of inadequacy, because she was not able to make the starting line-up through effort and sacrifice and because her diminished playing time behind Fleming prevented her from receiving offers through the transfer portal, Sugai faced depression during and after the transfer portal period and ultimately determined that she had no realistic choice other than to give up playing collegiate volleyball after the 2022 season,” a court document states.
Blaire Fleming of the San Jose State Spartans attempts to block a shot during the first set against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym Oct. 19, 2024, in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
“Losing to Fleming caused Sugai to doubt her ability to play volleyball at a high level, even though she had rigorously trained and competed since childhood. It also caused her to doubt her self-worth and caused her to feel ‘defeated.’”
Patterson also played behind Fleming and alleges the university did not fulfill previous verbal offers of a scholarship to her for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Patterson says she even paid full tuition to play in 2023 after being told she would get a scholarship for 2024. However, the program did not make good on that offer either, she alleges.
“Ultimately, Patterson informed Associate 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 again in 2024 and therefore would be unable to return to the SJSU Team without a scholarship,” the documents state.
“Nevertheless, Todd Kress remained firm in his position that Patterson would not receive a scholarship to play on the SJSU Team in 2024, and that Fleming would receive a full scholarship to play on the SJSU Team.”
Fleming has been accused of multiple unconfirmed allegations involving teammate Brooke Slusser, but the two still play like a star duo
San Jose State volleyball co-captain Brooke Slusser will take the floor beside Fleming for the Spartans on Saturday night in the championship game. Slusser will be doing this despite being at the forefront of the lawsuit against the Mountain West over Fleming’s presence on the team and the lawsuit against the NCAA over its policies on gender identity headed by Riley Gaines.
Slusser has alleged that she was never told what Fleming’s biological sex was when Slusser transferred to San Jose State in 2023, one year after Fleming did. Slusser also alleges she shared living spaces with Fleming and frequently was assigned to share hotel rooms for road games because Fleming requested it.
“Slusser did learn however that the reason she had been assigned to room with Fleming so often during road trips in the 2023 season was that Kress and other SJSU women’s volleyball officials asked Fleming who Fleming wanted to room with, and Fleming chose Slusser,” the court documents say.
Slusser previously told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview that she would not have “opened up” with Fleming on the personal level she had during that first season had she known Fleming was a transgender athlete.
The lawsuit claims Fleming admitted to being a biological male in a conversation with Slusser over ice cream in April.
“Slusser asked why Fleming had not shared this information with her before, particularly as they had been living together. Fleming responded that there never seemed to be a good time to bring it up, and that he had been afraid that Slusser might not be his friend if Slusser knew the truth. Fleming also said that if Slusser was uncomfortable with it that Fleming would leave the volleyball team,” the documents state.
Things got more complicated in October, when Slusser alleges she learned of a plot by Fleming to have her spiked in the face by a volleyball during a game against Colorado State Oct. 3. The lawsuit alleges the incident was reported by teammate Tanner Manusky to Kress and Batie-Smoose the night before the game, and that Manusky was present during a conversation between Fleming and Colorado State player Malaya Jones.
Jones is one of the only players in the conference with better kill numbers than Fleming.
Batie-Smoose was suspended by the program after filing a Title IX complaint that included the same allegations.
According to a letter obtained by Fox News Digital from Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez, the conference says it conducted an investigation into the allegations of the Title IX complaint but did not find sufficient evidence to confirm the claims. Slusser’s attorney has provided a statement to Fox News Digital questioning the validity of the investigation.
Slusser previously told Fox News Digital the program’s response to the allegations makes her feel “unsafe” and being treated unfairly compared to Fleming.
Brooke Slusser and Blaire Fleming (Getty Images)
“If this was me, and I was the one threatening to do this to my teammate who’s caused so much commotion, there would have been action taken immediately,” Slusser said. “I was definitely very angry, and I was glad at first to know that it was already made aware to the coaching staff and compliance and everyone, but I don’t know if that made me feel any differently. I was just angry because I didn’t think someone would go to these lengths.
“Threatening to want to hurt one of your own teammates, I just feel like there’s so many things in that whole conversation that would make a school want to get it dealt with.”
Slusser also said she has not spoken with Fleming about the allegations, adding that speaking with the athlete “isn’t worth my breath.”
“I think anyone can see that’s in my circle and in the gym that they’re not here to support me. They’re here to support Blaire, and they have decided that they will basically do anything to keep supporting Blaire and to not be there for me and my needs,” Slusser said. “I just have decided you can’t really trust anyone here.”
Fox News Digital has reached out for a comment in response from Fleming via San Jose State University multiple times but has not received a response.
Despite these tensions, when Slusser and Fleming are on the court together, they play as one of the most effective duos in the conference. Slusser and Fleming were each named to the Mountain West all-conference honorable mention list.
The Spartans finished the regular season with the third-best hitting percentage in the conference. Slusser finished with a top 10 individual hitting percentage in the conference. Fleming was second in the conference in kills per set with a .386, still well behind Colorado State’s Jones, who led the way at .457.
In Slusser’s first lawsuit against the NCAA, she alleged Fleming’s spikes travel at 80 miles per hour and that her and her teammates felt as though they “couldn’t protect themselves.”
Still, Slusser has been quick to help set up Fleming for some of those signature spikes despite the situation.
During games, they have been seen closely communicating, even patting each other on the back and huddling up next to each other.
Brooke Slusser and Blaire Fleming of the San Jose State Spartans call a play during the first set against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym Oct. 19, 2024, in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
In the first game played after Slusser filed her lawsuit against the Mountain West, the Spartans faced Colorado State in a rematch of a game in which Fleming was alleged to have conspired to have Slusser spiked in the face.
Fleming was cheered during Senior Day ceremonies by the San Jose State crowd, and some fans even brought signs into the arena in support of the transgender player.
And, with Slusser’s help, Fleming put on one of the best performances of the athlete’s career. Fleming finished the match with 24 kills, one shy of a career high, and a game-winning service ace in the decisive fifth set.
When the ball from that play hit the floor, Slusser joined the rest of her teammates in rushing to embrace Fleming and celebrate the game-winning play. It put the team in position to play in the conference tournament.
Fleming’s presence on the championship-contending team has sparked outrage, sympathy and was even contested in court
Fleming had not made any public statements Fox News Digital was aware of at the time of publication, since the controversy surrounding the team erupted nationally.
The athlete has been the subject of frequent online discussion that has become more confrontational as the season has progressed.
San Jose State did not respond to questions about whether Fleming has been harassed or threatened during controversy. However, the university has confirmed the team has had armed police protection since September after news of the first forfeit on the schedule.
“The team has been a subject of significant attention, not all of it positive, and we are ensuring their security,” a spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
Fox News Digital provided a series of questions to San Jose State about the measures it is taking to protect the players, including whether digital forensics by the university police department is being used or whether the situation has been elevated to state or federal investigators.
“The university has asked students and staff to share all concerning communications with UPD to be evaluated and addressed appropriately, including in conjunction with proper authorities where appropriate,” said part of a statement San Jose State provided to Fox News Digital.
Trump called out Fleming during a town hall event on Fox News Channel’s “The Faulkner Focus” Oct. 17.
“I saw the slam, it was a slam. I never saw a ball hit so hard, hit the girl in the head,” Trump said. “But other people, even in volleyball, they’ve been permanently, I mean, they’ve been really hurt badly. Women playing men. But you don’t have to do the volleyball. We stop it. We stop it. We absolutely stop it. You can’t have it.”
Trump also revealed his intention to ban transgender inclusion in women’s sports if elected.
San Jose State has insisted the footage Trump is referring to shows the ball hitting another player’s arm, not her head.
High-profile figures and social media groups, including Gaines, the International Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS), XX-XY Athletics and the popular right-wing X account “Libs of TikTok” have frequently used Fleming’s image and story to promote awareness for opposing transgender inclusion in women’s and girls sports.
However, some have also come out in support of Fleming.
Fleming was defended in a recent ESPN interview by transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, who tied Gaines at the 2022 NCAA championships, sparking Gaines’ ongoing lawsuit against the NCAA.
“To have my own personal identity and personhood turned into a culture war talking point just totally takes all my humanity away. It can be very difficult to keep trying to persevere through that,” Thomas said.
Multiple left-leaning media outlets have chosen not to identify Fleming by name in coverage of the team and situation.
The issue of protecting Fleming’s identity was even a lengthy talking point in a recent emergency hearing in Colorado that decided whether Fleming would be allowed to play in the Mountain West tournament.
Federal Judge Kato Crews presided over the hearing brought by Slusser, Batie-Smoose and the other Mountain West players with their lawsuit against the conference. The players and Utah State aimed to contest Fleming’s eligibility to compete in the upcoming tournament and to reverse the six conference wins awarded to San Jose State after teams forfeited over Fleming’s presence.
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Crews dedicated the first 45 minutes of a hearing to a debate over what pronouns to use while referring to Fleming and whether the athlete’s name should be used. Crews ruled that the player’s name could be used and that anyone could use pronouns they felt like using.
Crews ruled that Fleming was eligible to play in the tournament. It was a decision that enraged activists fighting transgender inclusion and has only raised the heat of the controversy Fleming and the other Spartan players are playing through.
Fleming’s presence has essentially ensured, on its own, that San Jose State will play in the conference championship with a chance to clinch an NCAA tournament berth after Boise State forfeited a semifinal match.
The last time Fleming played in a conference championship, the athlete had a career day. Now, Fleming is a senior, possibly playing college volleyball for the last time under a much brighter and intense national microscope. The country will watch and see how Fleming affects the course of women’s sports history.
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Jackson Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital. He previously worked for ESPN and Business Insider. Jackson has covered the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.
