The parents of former San Jose State University volleyball co-captain Brooke Slusser finally broke their silence after the U.S. Department of Education determined the school violated Title IX during their daughter’s time on the team. Slusser became the central figure in the 2024 scandal involving trans athlete Blaire Fleming, a situation that left her family watching their daughter’s life unravel—while the university looked the other way.
Slusser filed a lawsuit against representatives of SJSU and the Mountain West Conference after she was allegedly forced to share a bedroom and changing areas with Fleming without being informed of Fleming’s biological sex. The Department of Education also concluded that the trans athlete conspired with an opposing player to have an SJSU teammate—presumably Slusser—spiked in the face during a match. Because apparently women’s sports now come with plot twists.
In a joint statement to Fox News Digital, Slusser’s parents, Paul and Kim Slusser, praised the Trump administration’s action against the university.
“We’re thrilled that the Trump administration, Secretary McMahon, and the Department of Education are taking action on the issue of men in women’s sports—something the last administration did not do!” they said. “San Jose State University completely failed its female athletes, and it’s about time they’re held accountable.”
They added that they are watching closely to see how the school responds and plan to continue their fight in court. “San Jose State and the Mountain West Conference betrayed the volleyball team, and they will have to answer for it.”
The cost of that betrayal was personal. Slusser’s parents watched their daughter develop an eating disorder and suffer academically due to the trauma of the scandal.
“I went from around 160 to 128 [pounds] in that one semester,” Slusser previously said. “I ended up losing my menstrual cycle for nine months. So it was definitely severe.”
After the 2024 season and fall semester ended, her parents saw the toll it had taken on her and insisted she return home to Texas.
“As soon as the season was over, she came home for Christmas, and we were like, ‘You’re not going back,’” Paul Slusser said, adding that he told her she could return later only to retrieve her belongings when her lease expired.
Brooke attempted to complete her final semester online, but eventually dropped her classes. As a Division I scholarship athlete, that decision meant losing her scholarship. Her family was left paying full tuition and housing costs out of pocket.
“We had to pay, basically her mortgage and her apartment for the rest of the semester,” Paul Slusser said. “So it was a pretty large financial burden on us.”
The Department of Education has now given SJSU an ultimatum to comply with a list of agreements or face “imminent enforcement action,” with a deadline of Feb. 11, 2026.
In a statement, SJSU said it received notification from the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights regarding its investigation into athletics participation on past women’s volleyball teams. The university said it is reviewing the findings and proposed resolution agreement and remains committed to providing a “safe, respectful, and inclusive educational environment” while complying with applicable laws.
Thanks to the Trump administration, accountability is no longer optional and female athletes are finally being heard. This case sends a clear message that Title IX still means something—and protecting women’s sports is once again becoming a priority, not a punchline.
