Adobe Stock
A girls’ volleyball match scheduled for Sept. 26 in Southern California will not take place after one of the teams, Patriot High School, chose to forfeit rather than compete against an opponent with a transgender-identifying male player.
OutKick reported that this makes Patriot the eighth school this season to cancel a match against Jurupa Valley High School due to the presence of AB Hernandez, a male student competing on the girls’ volleyball team.
Jurupa Valley confirmed to FOX News that Patriot High had forfeited the match. Jurupa Valley has faced repeated scheduling challenges because multiple teams have declined to play while Hernandez remains on the court.
The issue has sparked legal action as well. According to OutKick, three current and former female athletes recently filed a lawsuit against the Jurupa Unified school district and state officials, alleging violations of Title IX, religious liberty, and student safety.
One of the few matches that did take place this season was between Jurupa Valley and Chaffey High School — a late addition to the schedule as Jurupa Valley searched for teams willing to compete.
According to OutKick’s Ian Miller, the game drew visible frustration from some spectators.
“Hernandez’s advantage was so clear and obvious that several members of the Chaffey supporting section were visibly upset by it,” Miller reported. “When OutKick asked those parents of Chaffey athletes whether the school’s administration or coach had asked the parents or members of the team if they were willing to play against Jurupa and a male athlete, nobody knew the answer.”
The controversy reflects a broader pattern emerging in California and beyond. In a separate case earlier this year, CatholicVote reported that female volleyball players in another California district filed a Title IX complaint after sustaining injuries while competing against a male athlete. The complaint cited safety risks, unequal treatment, and the fear of retaliation held by girls who speak up about fairness in sports.
>> DOJ sues California over transgender athlete policy, alleges Title IX violations <<
