Ahead of their Mountain West tournament semifinal game Friday, three members of the top-seeded Colorado State’s women’s volleyball team knelt during the national anthem.
One of the players, Malaya Jones, has been accused of conspiring with San Jose State University’s transgender player, Blaire Fleming, to influence the outcome of a game between the schools and hit Fleming’s teammate, Brooke Slusser, in the face with a ball during a match.
The Mountain West Conference conducted an investigation into allegations of conspiracy by players on San Jose State and Colorado State’s volleyball teams and closed it without any discipline.
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Malaya Jones (1) of the Colorado State Rams attacks the net against the Colorado Buffaloes at the CU Events Center Sept. 20, 2024, in Boulder, Colo. (Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
The accusations came from a Title IX complaint filed by suspended San Jose State assistant head coach Melissa Batie-Smoose Oct. 29. Batie-Smoose was suspended shortly after the complaint was filed, to the dismay of Slusser and other players on the team.
San Jose State volleyball player Chandler Manusky is quoted in a separate lawsuit recounting an incident in early October, when she and other teammates, including Fleming, violated team rules by sneaking out of a team hotel the night before a match against Colorado State. Manusky claimed to have then learned about an alleged plan by Fleming to ensure San Jose State would lose the match and set up Jones to spike Slusser in the face during a match Oct. 3.
“Manusky said that at Jones’ residence Fleming had shared with Jones the scouting for the CSU-FC game, and they had discussed Fleming ‘throw[ing] the game’ and how they would set up Jones to ‘blow up’ Slusser and ‘blast’ her in the face during the game,” the court documents state.
Blaire Fleming of the San Jose State Spartans during the third set against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym Oct. 19, 2024, in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
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Slusser previously told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview she was made aware of Fleming’s alleged plan and believes she has been treated unfairly by the university, arguing the university has not done enough to investigate the matter.
“If this was me, and I was the one threatening to do this to my teammate who’s caused so much commotion, there would have been action taken immediately,” Slusser said. “I was definitely very angry, and I was glad at first to know that it was already made aware to the coaching staff and compliance and everyone, but I don’t know if that made me feel any differently. I was just angry because I didn’t think someone would go to these lengths.
“Threatening to want to hurt one of your own teammates, I just feel like there’s so many things in that whole conversation that would make a school want to get it dealt with.”
The Rams won their match against San Diego State Friday in four sets, setting up a date with San Jose State Saturday for the conference championship.
Blaire Fleming of the San Jose State Spartans digs the ball against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym Oct. 19, 2024, in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
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Jones was recently named the conference’s player of the year.
Colorado State did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
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