Tuesday’s Supreme Court hearing on trans athletes in women’s sports inspired confidence that the majority of justices will side with the legal defense to “Save Women’s Sports” and uphold state bans against biological males in those sports. 

But some activists are far from satisfied with how the hearing was conducted.

Multiple female athletes connected to the case and others who rallied outside the court in support of the cultural movement told Fox News Digital their reactions to the hearing, the arguments and the justices’ questions.

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Reactions to the hearing among those women ranged from hopeful optimism for a landmark ruling to jaded disappointment due to the stances and word choice of the justices:

The Defendants

Madison Kenyan

Kenyan, a former Idaho State women’s cross-country and track runner, is a voluntary defendant in the Little v. Hecox case, which she decided to join after having to compete against a trans athlete her freshman year in 2019. 

“It filled me with excitement and hope for future generations. There should never be a question about states’ rights to protect women’s athletics. I’m glad to see so many people stand up and support something as simple and true as that.” 

Mary Kate Marshall

Marshall was Kenyan’s teammate at Idaho State and had to experience competing against the trans athlete with Kenyan, and then joined the case alongside her teammate. 

“It is always sad to see the people who have been deceived by the lie that men can become women. No amount of hormones can do that. I remain hopeful that more people will see biological reality for what it is: true and unchanging.”

Lainey Armistead

Armistead, a former team captain for the West Virginia State University women’s soccer team, intervened in defense of West Virginia’s sports law in B.P.J. v. West Virginia case. 

“It has been a long journey to make it to the Supreme Court, so it was incredibly meaningful to me to see the argument in person. It was an awesome experience, and I’m really hopeful that the court will protect women’s sports.”

INSIDE THE SCOTUS HEARING BOUND TO BE A TURNING POINT IN THE CULTURE WAR OVER TRANS ATHLETES IN WOMEN’S SPORTS

The Protesters 

Brooke Slusser 

Former San Jose State University women’s volleyball star Brooke Slusser with her parents, Paul and Kim Slusser. (Courtesy of Kim Slusser)

Slusser, a former women’s volleyball co-captain at San Jose State University, sued the NCAA, Mountain West Conference and representatives of her school after discovering a teammate she roomed with and changed with was a biological male in 2024. Her story garnered immense media attention during an election-season news cycle and has prompted a federal investigation into the school. 

“It was definitely surreal,” Slusser said of Tuesday’s event, and she is eagerly awaiting resolution on the case, adding that “the unknowing of what’s going to happen next and not getting an answer yet,” is hard for her.

Stephanie Turner

Stephanie Turner, a U.S. fencer who refused to compete against a transgender athlete in high school, speaks outside the U.S. Supreme Court as justices hear arguments in challenges to state bans on transgender athletes in women’s sports on January 13, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Oliver Contreras / AFP)

Turner, a competitive women’s fencer, became an overnight sensation in the “Save Women’s Sports” movement when footage went viral of her kneeling to protest a trans opponent at a competition last spring. She was disqualified by USA Fencing for refusing to face the opponent and hasn’t competed in USA Fencing since. 

“Let me say I was a little disappointed that not that there weren’t any very strong stances from the Supreme Court justices on language, and that they were capitulating to new age terms like cisgender.”

Payton McNabb

Payton McNabb was severely injured after being struck in the head and neck by a spike from a transgender-identifying male on the opposing volleyball team. (Courtesy of IW Features and Payton McNabb)

McNabb suffered permanent brain damage when she was spiked in the head with a volleyball by a trans athlete during a North Carolina high school match in 2022. McNabb has since become one of the leading activists in the movement and was honored by President Donald Trump’s 2025 joint address to congress. 

“There was a time not that long ago when many women were afraid to speak up about this issue. Now, to see it taken seriously at the highest level and to see people no longer afraid to stand up for women and girls was incredibly powerful. It reminded me how far this movement has come and why continuing to speak out matters so much.

“The hardest part was realizing that we have sitting Supreme Court justices who cannot define what a woman is. To me, that strips away credibility. How can someone serve on the highest court in the country and not understand basic biological reality? The fact that defining ‘woman’ has even reached the Supreme Court, and that we don’t know how it will turn out, is astonishing and pathetic.”

Kaitlynn Wheeler

Wheeler is a former University of Kentucky swimmer who had to face transgender UPenn swimmer Lia Thomas in the 2022 NCAA championships. 

“What hit me the hardest was how little anyone talked about the girls impacted. During the oral arguments, it was nonstop about men and boys, their feelings, their experiences, their access and the girls who Title IX was literally written for were basically an afterthought. And that’s sick to me. 

“Then there is this push to reduce women down to a circulating testosterone threshold, like that’s all we are. As if womanhood can be boiled down to a lab result. That’s insulting. Women are not a hormone level. We are complex. We are different, and we deserve protections because of that not in spite of it.”

Macy Petty

Petty, a former women’s volleyball player at Lee University who had to face a transgender opponent during her college career, is now a legislative strategist for the Concerned Women of America.

“Yesterday’s events proved that the movement to protect and promote opportunities for women in sports isn’t just a flash reaction to insanity, we’ve cemented ourselves as a legacy. One of my biggest takeaways was seeing the history we’ve built, and continue to build. 

“Some of the involved athletes have been in this for nearly a decade, and many of the thought leaders even long before that. Yet still, the coalition continues to grow and new athletes are standing up daily.” 

Sophia Lorey

Lorey, a former women’s soccer player at Vaguard University, is currently the outreach director for the California Family Council and has been on the front lines of bringing awareness to the issue of trans athletes in girls’ sports in California – the nation’s biggest hotbed of incidents. 

“I was disappointed that the hearing so often centered on the desires of males rather than the rights and safety of women and girls, the very people this debate is supposed to protect. Justice Alito stood out by grounding the discussion in reality, asking the most basic question: what is a man and what is a woman? 

“When the ACLU attorney admitted she could not even define what a man or a woman is, it exposed how detached from reality this entire argument has become. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s reference to sex being ‘assigned at birth’ was especially concerning.

“While some justices appeared willing to concede women’s rights through language and abstraction, such as when Justice Amy Coney Barrett adopted terms like ‘trans girls’, I believe science, Title IX, and the Constitution are on the side of women and girls, and that truth will ultimately prevail.”

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Kaylie Ray

Ray is a former women’s volleyball player at Utah State, and was part of the team that forfeited to San Jose State in 2024 to avoid facing Slusser’s transgender teammate. 

“I think it’s unfortunate that some of the liberal-leaning justices were very ideological in their questioning, almost as if they are looking for rationalizations and justifications for allowing this injustice to continue. I don’t feel this should be a left or right issue, this is a women’s issue. 

“And the truth is simple: men do not belong in women’s sports or spaces. It’s also disheartening to know that we have a sitting justice who doesn’t know or could not define what a woman is. Still, I am hopeful though that the court will rule in favor of upholding the bans.”

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Clubs around Europe have been busy planning their transfer business during the winter window, and a few have already signed players. But there is more work to be done.

January is traditionally not a month when clubs push the boat out to spend lots of money on new additions, but times are changing and pressure is ramping up.

So, here we assess a few players who could be worth taking a gamble on if the conditions are right.

*Market value and contract data taken from Transfermarkt.

Yan Diomande, FW, 19, RB Leipzig

Market value: €45 million
Contract expiry: 2030

Diomande’s first season at RB Leipzig has marked him out as one of the most eye-catching young attackers in Europe, and he is a natural target for the big spending teams. Signed from Spanish side Leganes last summer for a fee of €20 million, the 19-year-old has developed at a remarkable speed, especially when considering he only arrived in Spain from U.S. College football’s AS Frenzi in January 2025.

Deployed on both wings at Leipzig, Diomande’s impact is mainly seen from his ability to drive forward from wide areas. He is particularly effective when moving inside, where his quick changes of direction, excellent balance, admirable determination, lightning-quick first step and close control make him difficult for markers to get to grips with. Those traits are reflected in his 3.80 successful dribbles (per 90 minutes), with most of those actions being designed to gain meters and disrupt defensive shape rather than for show.

Furthermore, his forward momentum regularly carries Leipzig into dangerous areas. His 4.5 touches in the opposition box (per 90) highlights how often he arrives in positions to create opportunities, and he has scored seven goals himself across all competitions.

Although the defensive side of his game remains a work in progress, the scale of his breakthrough has already drawn sustained attention from some of the biggest clubs, with Bayern Munich reported to be in the running. Though his transfer fee is likely to be around €80 million.

Castello Lukeba, 23, CB, RB Leipzig

Market value: €45 million
Contract expiry: 2029

Tailor-made for RB Leipzig’s front-footed style of football, Lukeba is a mobile, proactive, left-footed center back who anticipates opposing attacks early and has the recovery speed to succeed in a high defensive line. That pace is not anecdotal as he’s been recorded at 35.1 km/h in the UEFA Champions League, and it is a crucial component in a system that regularly leaves large spaces behind the defensive line when Leipzig push their midfield and full backs high.

In possession, Lukeba is not a safety-first distributor. He leads the German Bundesliga for progressive passes with 11 (per 90), at an impressive 80% accuracy, which speaks of both his ambition to move the ball forward and his ability to play out from the back under pressure. For that reason Leipzig usually use him as a primary passer out of defense and trust him to break lines rather than simply recycle possession. He also has the ability to expedite precise switches and pick out early runs from his wide forwards.

So why has still not been picked up by a top side? One explanation might be a certain weakness in his aerial game — he has a success rate in duels of roughly 40% — which suggests he is uncertain when it comes to defending crosses and set pieces. That said, given his speed, reading of the game, comfort in possession and a proven ability to perform in a high-intensity league, he’s still a top prospect.

Ismael Saibari, 24, AM, PSV Eindhoven

Market value: €32 million
Contract expiry: 2029

The centerpiece of PSV’s attacking structure, Saibari has had an enormous impact this season and is likely to have been a talking point at many recruitment meetings leading up to the transfer window. The 24-year-old has nine goals and four assists from 16 Eredivisie starts so far, numbers that place him among the most productive attacking midfielders in the league.

Used primarily as an attacking box-to-box No. 8 (or as a No. 10 behind the striker) but with license to drift wide, the Morocco international is not only decisive in the box but also carries playmaking skills outside it. His 1.2 key passes (per 90) illustrates how well his maps the movement around him, while 0.55 xG (per 90) is impressive for an advanced midfielder even in the attack-friendly Eredivisie. His ability to move the ball is also impressive with his 4.2 progressive carries (per 90) allowing PSV to break defensive lines rather than circulating possession harmlessly.

But it’s the late runs into the box that make Saibari particularly interesting, as the timing and finishing with either foot are on another level. Being physically robust and tall, he is also difficult to knock off the ball and has clearly moved beyond being a supporting presence to becoming the primary driver of PSV’s output in the final third.

Ayyoub Bouaddi, 18, DM, Lille

Market value: €40 million
Contract expiry: 2029

Already a first-team member for two years, Bouaddi has made 76 appearances for Lille. Mainly used as a No. 6 holding midfielder, his skillset also translates to being a box-to-box No. 8 courtesy of his superb first touch under pressure, regular scanning of the field, fine dribbling, and a passing range that can switch play or thread into runs between the lines. In either role, the teenager’s ability to keep possession under pressure and link play suggest he will be a top midfielder for years to come.

Bouaddi also covers ground quickly and efficiently, blending fine agility in tight spaces with the engine to shuttle across the pitch to close passing lanes. Physically, he is well equipped and more than keen to enter duels, often stepping out to win a second ball and stave off transitions early. The downside, however, is that his aggression can tip over the limit: he was sent off in successive matches against Le Havre (Ligue 1) and Young Boys (Europe) before Christmas, with both incidents coming from an over-eagerness to stop danger early.

While his profile and age may point towards a stepping-stone move to a team like Brighton, sources have told ESPN that Paris Saint-Germain are leading the race to land him in the summer, so other major teams should act quickly if they want to land him.

Santiago Castro, 21, ST, Bologna

Market value: €35 million
Contract expiry: 2028

Castro has become one of Bologna’s most important attacking outlets after his breakthrough season. The Argentina U20 international finished last year with seven goals in Serie A and has followed up this season with five from 17 games, often delivering in some high pressure and decisive moments.

Interestingly, Castro is different from the technique-based players who get the most attention from modern scouts, as he is more like a classic South American No. 9. Instead of breathtaking finesse, his game is driven by directness, intensity and a constant willingness to compete and hassle center backs. He plays on the edge, presses aggressively from the front, and consistently looks to unsettle defenders through his movement and strength.

In possession, Castro offers a practical, efficient skillset that needs some work. But he strikes the ball cleanly with his right foot and links play well on limited touches, particularly when dropping deep. Even when he is not scoring, his industry, pressing, off-ball movement and ability to open up space for his teammates give Bologna a player whose value goes beyond goals and assists.

Samu Aghehowa, 21, ST, FC Porto

Market value: €50 million
Contract expiry: 2029

Arguably one of the most exciting center forwards in the European game, Samu is a modern No. 9 striker whose game is as much about imposing himself on center backs as it is about finishing moves. While his 6-foot-4 frame suggests he is an obvious target man, it’s equally interesting how often he turns those physical attributes into repeatable shot volume (3.13 per 90, at an impressive 60% accuracy). Indeed, data models consistently place him among the most frequent and highest quality shooters — 46 goals from 70 appearances for FC Porto — in Europe’s top leagues.

In addition to his calm finishing, the Spain international pins the defensive line back, attacks the six-yard box with conviction and always gives the team a direct route when buildup slows down. In the air he is a presence too, and he brings an edge on crosses and set pieces. His excellent mobility also sets him apart from most other classic No. 9s as he is comfortable moving into the channels, carrying the ball forward and nipping into spaces left by defenders.

While there are still elements of his game to refine — his creative output remains modest compared to his final-third presence, and he is not yet a natural operator between the lines — Porto boss Francesco Farioli mainly asks him to focus on his strengths: occupying center backs, turning possession into shots, and giving the team’s attack a natural target.

Victor Froholdt, 19, CM, FC Porto

Market value: €30 million
Contract expiry: 2030

A €20 million summer arrival from FC Copenhagen, Froholdt has wasted no time in imposing himself on a new league and environment. Just 18 months after his breakout in Denmark, the 19-year-old has stepped straight into Farioli’s demanding, high-tempo midfield and looks at home. He has now played every minute of the last eight matches, which is a clear signal of how central he has become to the team’s structure.

What stands out in the Denmark international’s game is his completeness. Froholdt can sit at the base of a double pivot and dictate the tempo, or burst forward as a No. 8, or drift higher as a roaming attacking midfielder without disrupting the balance around him. For a teenager, his blend of physicality, stamina and tactical awareness is highly impressive.

He competes in duels, reads the rhythm of games well, and adds creativity when in possession. He can find excellent passing angles, either dropping deep to start moves with vertical passes or arriving late into advanced areas, while his close control and calmness under pressure also allow him to wriggle out of crowded areas.

Perhaps his most distinctive trait, though, is how he advances play while carrying the ball. Froholdt drives through midfield with balance and directness, regularly gliding past opponents (2.3 progressive runs per 90 is chart topping for a No. 8 in the Portuguese Primeira Liga). Those progressive sprints, backed by strong dribbling numbers, explain why Manchester United, Tottenham, and other top clubs in England have been linked.