Hawaii native drives latest forfeit against San Jose State volleyball

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A Punahou alum is making national headlines this week over her stance on an ongoing controversy in women’s college volleyball.
Sia Liilii is a senior captain on the Nevada women’s volleyball team.
She says her teammates are planning on forfeiting their upcoming match against San Jose State because they say the Spartans have a “biological male” on the roster.
The Nevada players’ decision to forfeit centers on SJSU outside hitter Blaire Fleming, who according to a Title IX lawsuit is a transgender female.
Liili says the school initially planned on everyone playing their upcoming match with the Spartans, but players refused citing a right to safety and fair competition.
”We told our athletic directors that we did not feel comfortable playing in that match and they told us that we should take a little more time to consider both sides,” Liilii said. “After that, the vast majority of us still voted that we did not feel comfortable playing against a biological male.”
Fleming leads the team in kills and at 11-3, San Jose State has the best record in the conference.
Four of those wins have come by forfeit, and Liilii says players from those schools who backed out have reached out personally to thank her for taking a stand.
”It’s bigger than us winning or losing, it’s about our future generations,” Liilii said. “I’m an aunty, I’m looking after my nieces all of my little siblings who are playing sports right now with dreams of becoming collegiate athletes. It’s not just for us playing against this person right now, it’s for them so they’re never in this situation.”
Native Hawaiian kumu and transgender advocate Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu tells HNN she understands the player’s decision to forfeit, but sees this as an opportunity for the NCAA to allow for more inclusion.
”When I hear news that comes from the US continent about inequities and gender issues in sports, it only makes me think there really should be a greater push for not only more integration in sports, but also transgender oriented sports,” Wong-Kalu said.
She also adds that this is a very nuanced issue with varying perspectives even within the transgender community.
”There are some transgender identifying individuals that will acquiesce and they’ll take the rigorous challenge of playing the sport with their biological gender, for me that is something that I would do,” Wong-Kalu said.
The University of Nevada has said it cannot officially cancel the match. And while the players’ decision does not represent the position of the University, those who forfeit will not be subject to disciplinary action.
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