Rally for UNR women’s volleyball team grows, game canceled due to lack of players

Due to demand, tomorrow’s rally featuring the University of Nevada Reno women’s volleyball team and Riley Gaines was moved to the Reno Convention Center and tomorrow’s game, which was moved to San Jose, was canceled due to “not enough UNR players to compete.” were available”. ” Lieutenant Governor Stavros Anthony has confirmed he will attend the rally at the Reno Convention Center to “save women’s sports.”

The Globe has learned the venue was moved to the Reno Convention Center due to demand.@StavrosAnthony @VictorJoecks @CaptainSamBrown

— Nevada Globe (@NevadaGlobe) October 25, 2024

The Globe spoke with Reno Sparks Convention Visitors Authority (RSCVA) President and CEO Mike Larragueta, who confirmed the deal is in the process of being finalized and the event will be free and open to the public. Originally 300-400 attendees were expected, but due to the size of the previous venue, the event has now been moved to the convention center at 4590 South Virginia St. in Reno.

Yesterday, UNR announced that its game against San Jose State University was canceled after moving the game from Reno to San Jose, California.

In a statement, UNR announced: “Due to an insufficient number of players available, the University of Nevada women’s volleyball team will not play its scheduled Mountain West Conference game at San Jose State.” The universities agreed to a change of location “at best Interest in both courses”.

Last week, the University of Nevada Reno (UNR) women’s volleyball team announced that it would forfeit its upcoming game on October 26 against San Jose State University (SJSU) due to transgender player Blaire Fleming. The team particularly cited “fairness and safety concerns” as reasons for the loss.

To avoid legal liability, the university announced that the game would go ahead despite the players’ obligation to forfeit. The players will not be forced to take part in the game and, for their part, announced that they will not compete despite the university’s decision.

Transgender athletes’ participation in women’s sports has become a national issue, and the Trump-Vance campaign is promising to protect women’s sports and private spaces.

Team captain Sia Liilii and teammate Sierra Bernard wrote an editorial on Fox News reiterating their stance for fairness and safety in women’s sports.

They write: “This election is about leaders like Trump standing with women and defending our right to safe and fair competition. This should not be a political issue, but a shared concern against injustice in women’s college sports. Trump understands this and has vowed that he will not allow it and will put an end to it.

Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and GOP challenger Captain Sam Brown squared off in a face-off last week hour-long debate covers topics related to inflation, the border, foreign policy, housing and the UNR controversy.

When asked about the controversy, Rosen replied:

“I can tell you that all student-athletes deserve fair competition and a level playing field. That’s why I support parents, coaches and the umbrella leagues. They are the governing bodies. They are the experts. I believe that they are the right people to make these decisions, not the politicians. As with any other sporting issue, we leave these decisions to the governing bodies. I think we should do that now.”

The presenters then turned to Sam Brown and asked, “Mr. Brown, what rights, if any, should transgender athletes have when participating in women’s college sports?”

Brown responded: “Nevada, let me be clear. What we just heard was a politician saying she didn’t have enough knowledge on the subject to know whether or not biological men should be allowed in women’s sports. I will not support biological men playing women’s sports. I was proud to stand alongside the University of Nevada, Reno women’s volleyball team on Tuesday night as they came out and, in an act of courage, defended their ability to have fair, safe and private locker rooms for their own sake. It saddens me when these young women have to take a brave stand and our politicians can’t even say they have enough expertise to speak out on this issue. It’s shameful.”