It was always going to be a tough act to follow.

San Jose State University’s volleyball team was eliminated from making the Mountain West Tournament with a loss Saturday to University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and finished the season under .500 with a 13-16 overall record and 8-10 in conference play. 

SJSU outperformed expectations, finishing seventh in the Mountain West after being expected to finish 11th in the conference’s preseason coaches poll after a controversy involving trans athlete Blaire Fleming in 2024. 

Head coach Todd Kress led last year’s team to the conference final but had eight wins, including the conference semifinal, awarded via forfeit. SJSU previously made the conference final with Fleming in 2022, the trans athlete’s first year with the Spartans under former head coach Trent Kersten. 

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The controversy involving Fleming resulted in two lawsuits during the 2024 season, a federal investigation by the U.S. Department of Education and a mass exodus of players. At least seven of the team’s returning players from 2024 entered the transfer portal in December after the season ended.

The controversial 2024 season included eight forfeited matches, regular police protection, national scrutiny and internal turmoil between players and coaches.

Kress previously said the 2024 season was one of the “most difficult” of his life. Kress is 21st in NCAA women’s volleyball history in wins as a head coach.

“This has been one of the most difficult seasons I’ve ever experienced, and I know this is true as well for many of our players and the staff who have been supporting us all along. Maintaining our focus on the court and ensuring the overall safety and well-being of my players amid the external noise have been my priorities,” Kress said.

EX-SJSU STAR BROOKE SLUSSER MAKES NEW ALLEGATIONS ABOUT PROBE INTO TRANS TEAMMATE’S ALLEGED PLOT TO HARM HER

Kersten was the coach who recruited Fleming to SJSU as a transfer out of Coastal Carolina. Kersten then stepped down after the 2022 season and was replaced by Kress. 

Former SJSU co-captain Brooke Slusser transferred to SJSU from Alabama in 2023 

Then, in September 2024, Slusser joined a lawsuit against the NCAA alleging SJSU officials withheld knowledge about Fleming’s birth gender from her and other players on the team. Slusser alleged she was made to share changing and sleeping spaces with Fleming without knowing that Fleming was a biological male. 

Slusser, along with several other players in the Mountain West, filed a separate lawsuit against the conference and San Jose State in November 2024 over Fleming’s presence. That lawsuit included testimony from former San Jose State volleyball players Alyssa Sugai and Elle Patterson alleging they were passed over for scholarships in favor of Fleming. 

Assistant coach Melissa Batie-Smoose was suspended by the program in early November after she filed a Title IX complaint against the university for showing favoritism toward Fleming over the other players, especially Slusser. Batie-Smoose’s complaint also included allegations of Fleming’s plot to have Slusser spiked in the face.

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Batie-Smoose’s contract was not renewed by the school at the end of January. The coach then filed her own lawsuit against the Board of Trustees of the California State University (CSU) system. SJSU is one of 23 California-based schools that are part of the system. 

Batie-Smoose told Fox News Digital that SJSU accommodated Fleming with special exceptions that were not granted to female athletes.

“Not showing up to practice with no excuses, sitting in the stands eating while practice was going on, those kind of things,” Batie-Smoose said of the special exceptions reserved exclusively for Fleming. 

Fleming previously responded to Batie-Smoose’s claim and addressed Slusser in a social media exchange with Fox News Digital. 

“The only times I showed up to practice with ‘no excuse’ and sat in the stands was when I was injured and couldn’t play. Brooke Slusser and Melissa need to get a life,” Fleming said. 

After the 2024 volleyball season, Slusser fled SJSU after frequent alleged harassment and threats by other students in response to her speaking out against Fleming and the program the previous fall. She returned to her parents’ home in Texas to finish the school year remotely and is now working as a youth volleyball coach in North Carolina. 

Fleming celebrated graduation from SJSU in a social media post in May. 

The University of Nevada, Reno, which was involved in the 2024 controversy for trying to have its players compete against SJSU and Fleming despite preferring to forfeit, finished the 2025 season in 11th place with an 8-20 record, 4-14 in conference play. 

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Cross country tests an athlete’s endurance, strength, agility and mental toughness. The best cross country athletes also possess an ability to traverse difficult terrains and weather conditions.

In 2025, Oklahoma State won the men’s title for its second in three years, while NC State won the women’s for its fourth in five years.

Combining men’s and women’s events, Villanova has won the most overall championships, taking home 13 total titles. Arkansas is in second place with 12, and Oregon rounds out the top three with 10.

Check out an all-time winners list for the NCAA cross country championship below:

Note: Cross country was one of 12 women’s sports added to the NCAA championship program during the 1981-82 school year.

2025: Oklahoma State (M), NC State (W)

2024: BYU (M), BYU (W)

2023: Oklahoma State (M), NC State (W)

2022: Northern Arizona (M), NC State (W)

2021: Northern Arizona (M), NC State (W)

2020: Northern Arizona (M), BYU (W)

2019: BYU (M), Arkansas (W)

2018: Northern Arizona (M), Colorado (W)

2017: Northern Arizona (M), New Mexico (W)

2016: Northern Arizona (M), Oregon (W)

2015: Syracuse (M), New Mexico (W)

2014: Colorado (M), Michigan State (W)

2013: Colorado (M), Providence (W)

2012: Oklahoma State (M), Oregon (W)

2011: Wisconsin (M), Georgetown (W)

2010: Oklahoma State (M), Villanova (W)

2009: Oklahoma State (M), Villanova (W)

2008: Oregon (M), Washington (W)

2007: Oregon (M), Stanford (W)

2006: Colorado (M), Stanford (W)

2005: Wisconsin (M), Stanford (W)

2004: Colorado (M), Colorado (W)

2003: Stanford (M), Stanford (W)

2002: Stanford (M), BYU (W)

2001: Colorado (M), BYU (W)

2000: Arkansas (M), Colorado (W)

1999: Arkansas (M), BYU (W)

1998: Arkansas (M), Villanova (W)

1997: Stanford (M), BYU (W)

1996: Stanford (M), Stanford (W)

1995: Arkansas (M), Providence (W)

1994: Iowa State (M), Villanova (W)

1993: Arkansas (M), Villanova (W)

1992: Arkansas (M), Villanova (W)

1991: Arkansas (M), Villanova (W)

1990: Arkansas (M), Villanova (W)

1989: Iowa State (M), Villanova (W)

1988: Wisconsin (M), Kentucky (W)

1987: Arkansas (M), Oregon (W)

1986: Arkansas (M), Texas (W)

1985: Wisconsin (M), Wisconsin (W)

1984: Arkansas (M), Wisconsin (W)

1983: UTEP (M)*, Oregon (W)

1982: Wisconsin (M), Virginia (W)

1981: UTEP (M), Virginia (W)

1980: UTEP (M)

1979: UTEP (M)

1978: UTEP (M)

1977: Oregon (M)

1976: UTEP (M)

1975: UTEP (M)

1974: Oregon (M)

1973: Oregon (M)

1972: Tennessee (M)

1971: Oregon (M)

1970: Villanova (M)

1969: UTEP (M)

1968: Villanova (M)

1967: Villanova (M)

1966: Villanova (M)

1965: Western Michigan (M)

1964: Western Michigan (M)

1963: San Jose State (M)

1962: San Jose State (M)

1961: Oregon State (M)

1960: Houston (M)

1959: Michigan State (M)

1958: Michigan State (M)

1957: Notre Dame (M)

1956: Michigan State (M)

1955: Michigan State (M)

1954: Oklahoma State (M)

1953: Kansas (M)

1952: Michigan State (M)

1951: Syracuse (M)

1950: Penn State (M)

1949: Michigan State (M)

1948: Michigan State (M)

1947: Penn State (M)

1946: Drake (M)

1945: Drake (M)

1944: Drake (M)

1942: Indiana/Penn State (M)

1941: Rhode Island (M)

1940: Indiana (M)

1939: Michigan State (M)

1938: Indiana (M)

*Vacated

Check out the ESPN college sports hub page for scores, rankings and more.

Two football players from the University of Alabama at Birmingham were allegedly stabbed by another player in an incident at the team’s training facility ahead of their Saturday game against South Florida, a university official confirmed to Fox News Digital. 

The two players were attacked Saturday morning at the Football Operations Center, the training center for the Blazers’ football program.

The names of the victims, and the player in custody, were not released. 

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“We’re grateful to report that two players injured in an incident this morning at the Football Operations Building are in stable condition. Our thoughts are with them and their families as they recover. The suspect – another player – remains in custody, and an investigation is taking place.”

The stabbing happened hours before UAB was due to host South Florida at 3 p.m. ET. The spokesperson confirmed that the university elected to play.

UAB Blazers quarterback Ryder Burton (15) throws a pass against the UConn Huskies in the second quarter at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut, on Nov. 1, 2025. (David Butler II/Imagn Images)

MAN WHO SHOT AND KILLED UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA FOOTBALL PLAYERS SENTENCED TO 5 LIFE TERMS

“UAB’s top priority remains the safety and well-being of all of our students. Given patient privacy and the ongoing investigation, we have no further comment at this time.”

The two players were attacked Saturday morning at the Football Operations Center, the training center for the Blazers’ football program. (Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Fox News Digital’s Jackson Thompson contributed to this report. 

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