USU player claims school pushes back on speaking out about trans athletes

LOGAN, Utah – Utah State University volleyball player Kaylie Ray claims she and her teammates were verbally abused for taking a stand against transgender athletes participating in collegiate sports.

In a lawsuit filed against the Mountain West Conference with several players from other universities, Ray shared what led to Utah State canceling its game against San Jose State University due to a transgender player, and the consequences she and her teammates allegedly faced afterward .

The players complain that because an alleged transgender athlete is allowed to compete for San Jose State University, they face unfair conditions during competitions.

After other schools previously canceled or forfeited games against San Jose State, Utah State did the same for their scheduled game on Oct. 23.

In the lawsuit, Ray alleges that Utah State coaches were originally scheduled to play the San Jose State game before Aggies players met with school President Elizabeth Cantwell and athletic director Diana Sabau.

During the meeting, players were asked to take an anonymous survey about their feelings about playing San Jose State. After reading the responses, the referees decided to call off the match.

“My teammates and I are happy to stand up for our rights as women, but doing so requires us to make significant sacrifices,” Ray said in the lawsuit.

However, when the game was canceled, Ray said she and her teammates experienced “extra effort to avoid speaking out about women’s rights.”

During a Friday practice in which Aggies players are allowed to wear whatever they want, Ray and three teammates wore “BOYcott” t-shirts as a show of solidarity and shared a photo on social media.

In the following days, Ray said head coach Rob Neilson told her during a road trip that San Jose State’s head coach found the photo “distasteful.” Ray added that Neilson later spoke “sharply” to her and another teammate while in the film room, reportedly calling them “selfish” for posting the photo.

According to Ray, Neilson told her that “USU players should avoid making any further public statements on this issue.”

Ray added that the school has since put pressure on her and her teammates to agree not to protest during the Mountain West Conference volleyball tournament in which San Jose State will participate.

In a statement to FOX 13 News, Utah State said it supports student rights.

“USU supports the rights of all students to speak out on important issues, regardless of their position,” the school said in the statement. “Ms. Ray has been steadfast in her advocacy for women in sports and USU supports her right to advocate for her position through litigation.”