Transgender SJSU volleyball player Blaire Fleming’s collegiate career likely ended after the championship loss

Draw the curtain.

San Jose State volleyball player Blair Fleming likely played the final collegiate volleyball game of the athlete’s career after a Mountain West Tournament final loss to Colorado State on Saturday night.

Fleming led the Spartans on a run to the championship game in a senior season overshadowed by lawsuits by a teammate and a national controversy over Fleming being transgender. Fleming led the team in scoring and caused four Mountain West rivals to drop a total of seven conference games, including a tournament semifinal.

But Colorado State never shied away from playing Fleming or the Spartans.

The Rams played San Jose twice in the regular season, splitting the season series and then taking the championship game three sets to one. Colorado State’s Malaya Jones, the Mountain West Player of the Year, led the game with 26 kills after kneeling during the national anthem before the game.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Blaire Fleming of the San Jose State Spartans reacts during the second set against the Air Force Falcons on Falcon Court at East Gym on October 19, 2024 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. (Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)

Jones also was alleged to have conspired with Fleming in a plan to throw a ball in front of San Jose State teammate Brooke Slusser in an Oct. 3 game, according to a lawsuit filed by Slusser and a complaint to title IX.

Slusser was never slapped in the face, and the Mountain West ended an investigation into the Title IX complaint, saying it found insufficient evidence of wrongdoing. Slusser’s attorney questioned the validity of the investigation.

Fleming, meanwhile, led San Jose State in the game with 17 kills, but committed nine errors and hit poorly in the first two sets as the Spartans fell into a two-sets-to-none hole.

San Jose State’s loss would also mean it would not advance to the NCAA Tournament, which would have introduced additional controversy with potential matchups against out-of-conference teams. Boise State lost the Mountain West tournament semifinal against San Jose State, which could have set a precedent for teams in other states with laws preventing transgender inclusion in women’s sports.

WHO IS BLAIRE FLEMING? SJSU VOLLEYBALL PLAYER DOMINATES FEMALE RIVALS AND REVIVES WOMEN’S RIGHTS GROUPS

Boise State, Utah State, Wyoming, Nevada and non-conference opponent Southern Utah all lost regular-season games against San Jose State this season amid the controversy. Meanwhile, Louisiana Tech, which played its season opener against San Jose State on Aug. 30, said Fox News Digital he did not know that Fleming was a biological male and suggested that the match would not have happened if the team had known.

The situation became so publicized that Fleming’s presence on the team drew criticism from President-elect Trump on the campaign trail during the most recent election cycle.

Trump discussed the situation involving Fleming during a town hall event on Fox News Channel’s “The Faulkner Focus” on Oct. 17. Trump specifically referenced Fleming, describing a video in which one of the athlete’s spikes hit another player.

“I saw the slam. It was a slam. I’ve never seen a ball hit that hard, hit her in the head,” Trump said. “But other people, even in volleyball, they were permanent, I mean they were hurt really bad. Women playing men. But you don’t have to play volleyball. We stop it. We stop it. We. stop it absolutely you can’t have it.”

Trump has revealed his intention to ban the inclusion of transgender people in women’s sports if he is elected. It became a talking point that he made sure to reference at every campaign rally from then until Election Day. He and Republican allies have criticized Democrats’ stance on protecting transgender inclusion, which has become increasingly unpopular.

A federal judge could have ended Fleming’s career earlier, but decided to allow the player to compete in the conference tournament.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Federal Judge Kato Crews of Colorado, appointed by President Biden in January, denied a motion for a stay in court in a lawsuit by college volleyball players against the conference.

The players were seeking to have the forfeits for refusing to play against Fleming and the Spartans overturned, which in turn would change the standings in the direction of the tournament. They also wanted Fleming banned from the tournament.

Crews, however, wrote that the plaintiffs’ request for an emergency delay “was not reasonable” and “would risk confusion and spoil months of planning and prejudice, at a minimum, (San Jose State) and other participating teams at the tournament. “

Despite the lawsuits, Slusser and the rest of the San Jose State roster have taken the field with Fleming for games all season.

Fleming was second in the conference in kills per set at .386, still well behind Jones, who led the way at .457.

Fleming had a signature moment in the penultimate game of the season against No. 1 Colorado State at home on Senior Day. Fleming led the game in kills with 24 and total attacks and clinched the victory in the fifth set with a match service ace.

Immediately after the play, Fleming was swarmed by teammates in celebration. Even Slusser got involved. This group celebration came just days after Slusser and other Mountain West players filed a second lawsuit over Fleming’s presence on the team against San Jose State and the conference.

Now, Fleming, Slusser and their other senior teammates will look ahead to their lives after volleyball.

Watch Fox News Digital sports coverage on Xand subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.