‘Horrible’ moments exposed for UNR volleyball players when they were roped into the SJSU Title IX scandal

In fall 2024, the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) women’s volleyball team fell under national scrutiny when it was entwined in the San Jose State (SJSU) trans athlete scandal. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced that it had found SJSU in violation of Title IX on Wednesday, and weeks earlier it announced that UNR is now under investigation for potential Title IX violations for its handling of a scheduled match against SJSU in 2024. Fox News Digital has obtained exclusive details related to UNR’s handling of the situation via testimony from those involved, and public records provided by April Chainey, the mother of a UNR player at the time.On Oct. 7, 2024, UNR administrators sat down its women’s volleyball players in a meeting. The purpose was to inform the players that the team would not be forfeiting an upcoming home match against SJSU. At the time, four other schools had already forfeited to the Spartans amid a national controversy involving trans player Blaire Fleming.UNR players privately expressed a desire to forfeit as well, but informed them that wouldn’t be the school’s position at the meeting. UNR did not have a Title IX officer at that meeting, according to an Oct. 12, 2024 email sent by the school’s athletics director, Stephanie Rempe. “Our Title IX Officer was not present,” read Rempe’s email in response to an inquiry by UNR Chancellor Charlton. Former UNR women’s volleyball captain Sia Liilii called the meeting a “horrible” experience.EDUCATION DEPT LAUNCHES 18 TITLE IX PROBES AFTER SCOTUS HEARS ARGUMENTS IN EFFORTS TO PROTECT WOMEN’S SPORTS”This meeting was horrible,” Liilii told Fox News Digital. “It took place after the school decided to make a choice for us and it was uncomfortable. They told us there was no advantage by Blaire because she was on estrogen and testosterone blockers in order to level the playing field. A bunch of the girls and I expressed not wanting to play for the reasons of safety, fairness, and an opportunity for women in sports being taken away by a male athlete. Instead of supporting this decision we were told that maybe we should think about all the ‘facts’ first in case we wanted to reconsider. “It was very concerning that this meeting had no title IX officer and we were given a bunch of ‘facts’ that were not backed in truth.”Chainey said she was “traumatized” as a mother. So she filed a Title IX complaint to the ED’s Office of Civil Rights.”I just couldn’t believe it,” Chainey told Fox News Digital. “UNR Athletics Department discriminated by not suggesting or offering a Title IX officer to be present… I was mad, really made. I felt like there was nobody there to protect the teams and the players… they really dismissed [the player’s voices] because their voice did not fit in the NCAA gender ideology agenda. “I was disgusted when I saw that happening.” After UNR announced in October it would play SJSU, the Wolfpack players did not back down. They went public with their inte