By james art The Nevada Volleyball Rally, titled “Women’s Sports is for Women Only,” is moving venues with a larger-than-expected crowd, forcing a move from the Little Waldorf Saloon to the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.
The event will take place at 1 p.m., the same time Nevada was scheduled to play San Jose State, which reportedly has a transgender woman on its roster. Because of that NCAA-eligible player being on the roster, the Wolf Pack players voted to cancel the game against the Spartans, even though the university said it could not legally forfeit the game. The rally will be held in Halls A3 and A4 of the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.
“We insist that our right to safety and fair competition on the court be respected,” the Wolf Pack players said in a statement to the school when they walked away from the game. “We refuse to participate in any match that promotes injustice against female athletes.”
The university maintains that the game will be played as scheduled if at least six team members are dressed, saying it cannot forfeit the contest due to state and federal laws. The team returned home to Reno after losing to Fresno State on Thursday night, which officially resulted in the game being canceled due to a lack of players.
“As a public university, removal for reasons related to gender identity or expression may constitute discrimination in and of itself and violate the Nevada Constitution,” UNR President Brian Sandoval said in a statement last week.
They are expected to speak at the rally.
* Riley Gaines, former Kentucky swimmer and one of the nation’s biggest critics of trans women competing in women’s sports
* Sia Liilii, co-captain of the Nevada volleyball team, along with teammates Kenna Dressel, Kinsley Singleton, Masyn Navarro and Sierra Bernard and supported by Malia Pilimai, Sara Johnson, Bella Snyder and Nicanora Clarke
* Kendall Lewis, a Galena High volleyball player who claims she played against a Washoe County high school that involved a transgender woman
* Jen Hucke, a former Churchill County High volleyball star who was a two-time NCAA champion at Stanford
* Marshi Smith, four-time Nevada state champion and NCAA champion swimmer at the University of Arizona
Liilii is also among 14 confirmed speakers at the Stand With Women event scheduled in Philadelphia on Sunday morning. Liilii, who is in the middle of her season with the Wolf Pack, is expected to attend this rally in person.
For further reading on this story, see the links below:
October 14: Report: Nevada volleyball forfeits game against San Jose State over transgender player
October 14:Nevada says it will move forward with a match against SJSU volleyball despite the player vote
October 15: Gov. Joe Lombardo: I support Wolf Pack volleyball players’ decision to sit out SJSU game
October 17: UNR President Brian Sandoval released a new statement regarding the Nevada-SJSU volleyball game
October 18: Nevada volleyball players are considering a lawsuit against the university, attorney Joey Gilbert says
October 23: Nevada’s controversial volleyball game against San Jose State moved venues
October 23:Members of the Nevada volleyball team will hold a rally in Reno during the scheduled game at San Jose St.
October 25: Nevada volleyball canceled the match at San Jose State after failing to reach the player minimum