Former SJSU trans volleyball player Blaire Fleming responds to allegations from ex-assistant coach

Fox News Digital questioned San Jose State Athletic Director Jeff Konya on the controversial 2024 volleyball season that included a lawsuit over a trans athlete, but ended the interview after about just five minutes and walked away.

EXCLUSIVE: Former San Jose State (SJSU) transgender volleyball player Blaire Fleming responded to Fox News Digital for the first time regarding allegations that emerged from the program's 2024 scandal. 

Fleming addressed recent allegations made by former assistant coach Melissa Batie-Smoose, who filed a lawsuit in September against the California State University (CSU) system, as SJSU is one of 23 California-based schools that are part of the system. Batie-Smoose told Fox News Digital that SJSU accommodated Fleming with special exceptions that were not granted to female athletes.

"Not showing up to practice with no excuses, sitting in the stands eating while practice was going on, those kind of things," Batie-Smoose said of the special exceptions reserved exclusively for Fleming. 

SJSU and CSU declined to respond to those allegations.

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Blaire Fleming of the San Jose State Spartans reacts during the second set against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym on October 19, 2024 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  (Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)

But Fleming responded to Batie-Smoose's claim and addressed former teammate and co-captain Brooke Slusser. 

"The only times I showed up to practice with ‘no excuse’ and sat in the stands was when I was injured and couldn’t play. Brooke Slusser and Melissa need to get a life," Fleming told Fox News Digital. 

Slusser, who played alongside Fleming for two seasons at SJSU from 2023-24, has joined a