SAN JOSE, California – The location of a women's volleyball match between Nevada and San Jose State on Saturday has been moved from Reno, Nevada, to San Jose, California.
The schools announced the decision Tuesday in a joint statement, and the Mountain West Conference approved the decision.
In the statement, the schools said that “the decision to move the game location was made in the best interest of both programs and the well-being of student-athletes, coaches, athletic staff and spectators.”
Before the change of venue, a group of Nevada players recently issued a statement saying they will not take the floor for what was going to be their home game against the Spartans. The players cited their “right to safety and fair competition.” The school, however, reaffirmed at the time that the match was still planned and that state law prohibits confiscation “for reasons related to gender identity or expression.”
There is still a chance the game could end as a loss if the Wolf Pack decides not to play. Nevada plays at Fresno State on Thursday.
San Jose State has already seen four teams cancel games this season: Southern Utah, Boise State, Wyoming and Utah State. None of the schools have explicitly said why they were missing out. All of those schools, except Southern Utah, are in the Mountain West.
Political figures from Wyoming, Idaho and Utah weighed in and suggested the cancellations were focused on protecting women's sports. Others have rejected that notion.
Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez said last week that she was heartbroken by what happened this season surrounding the Spartans and their opponents.
