Nevada volleyball cancels game at San Jose State after minimum number of participants was not met

Less than an hour after losing a hard-fought five-set match at Fresno State, the Nevada volleyball team has officially canceled its game Saturday at San Jose State.

The university said in a news release Thursday night that it did not have the required six players to travel to San Jose, leading to the cancellation.

“Due to an insufficient number of players to compete, the University of Nevada women’s volleyball team will not play its scheduled Mountain West Conference game at San Jose State on Saturday, October 26,” the university said in a statement . “Per Mountain West Conference policy, the game will be considered a conference loss for Nevada.”

The game was the focus of national attention after the university’s Wolf Pack players announced Oct. 13 that they would not take the court against San Jose State, whose roster conforms to NCAA regulations but reportedly has a transgender Woman includes. Nevada’s players cited a right to safety and fairness when explaining why they would not play against the Spartans, whose roster included the transgender athlete in 2022 and 2023.

On Oct. 14, the university said the game would go ahead as scheduled, citing Nevada and federal laws that would have prevented the game from being forfeited. If at least six Wolf Pack players registered for the competition, the game would be played. Nevada has not met that threshold.

After Thursday night’s loss to Fresno State, the Wolf Pack was on a bus back to Reno instead of traveling to San Jose State for Saturday’s game. The game was moved from Reno to San Jose State earlier this week. The school said this was “in the best interest of both programs and the well-being of student-athletes, coaches, athletic staff and spectators.”

Nevada will officially forfeit play at San Jose State and suffer a league loss per MW rules. Combined with Thursday’s loss at Fresno State, the Wolf Pack (11-10 overall) will drop to 4-6 in MW play, giving Nevada a slim lead over qualifying for the conference tournament. The top six teams in the league will compete in this event. Boise State sits in sixth place at 5-4.

The Wolf Pack will become the fourth MW school to fall to San Jose State, joining Boise State, Utah State and Wyoming. Southern Utah was also unable to play a scheduled non-conference game with the Spartans.

Members of the Nevada volleyball team are scheduled to appear at the Women’s Sports Are for Women Only event in Reno on Saturday, while the San Jose State game was scheduled.

The Wolf Pack played Fresno State on Thursday, winning the first set 30-28 before losing the second set 25-15. It took a 2-1 set lead with a 25-19 win in the third set before losing the next two sets 29-27 and 15-12. The Wolfpack had four match points in the fourth set that they were unable to convert.

For more information on this story, see the following links:

Oct. 14: Report: Nevada volleyball loses game against San Jose State because of transgender player

Oct. 14:Nevada says it will continue play against SJSU volleyball despite players’ vote

Oct 15:Governor Joe Lombardo: I support the Wolf Pack volleyball players’ decision to forgo the SJSU game

Oct 17: UNR President Brian Sandoval releases new statement on Nevada-SJSU volleyball game

Oct 18: Nevada volleyball players are considering a lawsuit against the university, says attorney Joey Gilbert

Oct. 23: Nevada’s controversial volleyball game against San Jose State has moved locations

Oct. 23:Members of the Nevada volleyball team hold a rally in Reno during the scheduled game on San Jose St.