November 13, 2024 by Dan Zaksheske, Outkick

A dozen women have filed a lawsuit against the Mountain West Conference and its commissioner, along with officials at San Jose State University. They allege violations of Title IX and of their First Amendment rights, all stemming from the presence of transgender player Blaire Fleming on the San Jose State roster, OutKick has learned.

The plaintiffs, which include San Jose State co-captain Brooke Slusser and two former Spartans, as well as athletes from four other Mountain West schools, allege the conference adopted a new “Transgender Participation Policy” in an attempt to “chill and suppress the free speech rights of women athletes.”

The suit, which is seeking emergency injunctive relief ahead of the Mountain West Conference volleyball tournament set to begin in Las Vegas on Nov. 27, is the latest development in a story that has made headlines since OutKick first reported on Fleming’s inclusion on the San Jose State roster back in April.

“The NCAA, Mountain West Conference, and college athletic directors around the country are failing women,” said Bill Bock, lead attorney for the plaintiffs and the pro-woman organization Independent Council On Women’s Sport (ICONS), which is funding and backing the lawsuit.

“Because the administrators don’t have the courage to do their jobs, we have to ask the federal courts to do their jobs for them,” Bock added.

Read more at Outkick…

ICONS is funding this lawsuit. Please contribute now to help these women regain their right to fair and safe competition for women. We need your support to win this legal battle!

Learn more about the female plaintiffs in this case.

San José State University
Denton, Texas

Team Captain
Honorable Mention All-Mountain West

University Nevada Reno
Halawa, Hawaii

Team Captain

Utah State University
Chandler, Arizona

Team Captain
Academic All-Mountain West
Mountain West Scholar-Athlete

University of Wyoming
Gering, Nebraska

Associate Head Coach Women’s Volleyball
San José State University

University Nevada Reno
Kapolei, Hawaii

IU Indianapolis
Greencastle, Indiana

University of Wyoming
Boise, Idaho

San José State University
Ewa Beach, Hawaii

Boise State University
Bozeman, Montana

Boise State University
Bozeman, Montana

University of Wyoming
Littleton, Colorado

General Council, U.S. Anti-Doping Agency 2007-2020
Lead Attorney in Lance Armstrong Investigation
Litigated Cases at Court of Arbitration for Sport

Bill Bock is a litigator with experience in sports law, athlete eligibility disputes, sports drug testing and Title IX cases. Bill was the General Counsel of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) during 2007-2020. Bill has represented clients in high-profile investigations, litigation, and arbitration throughout the United States. He has represented sports organizations, Fortune 500 companies, governmental agencies, and individuals. Bill has decades of experience in international sports law matters, having conducted international sports doping investigations, been lead counsel in numerous cases before the international Court of Arbitration for Sport, advised international sports organizations and governing bodies, and served as an arbitrator in cases involving the eligibility of international athletes.

11/16/2024 – Emergency Motion for Preliminary Injunction

11/16/2024 – Movant’s Appendix in Support of the Preliminary Injunction

11/17/2024 – Response to MWC Leaked Investigation Close-Out Letter

11/18/2024 – Utah State University Motion for Limited Intervention as Plaintiff

11/18/2024 – Utah State University Complaint in Intervention

11/18/2024 – Utah State University Partial Joinder in Plaintiff’s Motion

11/25/2024 – Order Denying Emergency Motion for Preliminary Injunction

11/26/2024 – Order Denying Injunction Pending Appeal

11/13/2024 – ICONS Backs Coach and Eleven Volleyball Players from Five Universities in Lawsuit Against NCAA’s Mountain West Conference

11/20/2024 – Female Volleyball Athletes & Coaches to Testify Against NCAA’s Mountain West Conference at Emergency Hearing

11/25/2024 – ICONS Announces NCAA Volleyball Player’s Emergency Motion for Injunction Appeal Filed