Colorado State Rams women’s volleyball coach Emily Kohan called the team’s Mountain West Tournament Championship win over San Jose State a “statement” victory on Saturday.
The Rams earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament with the four-set win over the Spartans. San Jose State entered the tournament under a veil of controversy over the eligibility of transgender players Blaire Fleming. San Jose State had a bye in the first round and Boise State forfeited its match, allowing the Spartans to play in the finals.
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CSU volleyball coach Emily Kohan coaches Malaya Jones against No. 10 Kentucky on August 25, 2023 at Moby Arena in Fort Collins, Colorado. (Cris Tiller/USA Today Network)
Kohan complimented her team for staying the course.
“We stayed together a lot, against a lot of odds and with a lot of negative energy, and we controlled our own destiny,” Kohan said via the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “I think we made a statement at trial.”
Colorado State was one of the Mountain West teams that ended up playing San Jose State during the regular season. The Spartans had five conference opponents lose games against them. It was 1-1.
Colorado State head coach Emily Kohan watches a home game against Colorado at Moby Arena on September 19, 2024 in Fort Collins. (Logan Newell/The Coloradoan/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
“No one from the state of Colorado was negative in this entire case,” Kohan added. “No one came and blamed anyone else, and no one tried to point fingers. We have tried to make this very difficult situation on our side as neutral or as controlled as possible. It has been a dynamic that we have dealt with very well… and not be annoying people in the process.”
For Fleming, the conference finals will likely be the final game of the player’s career.
Colorado State athletic director Joe Parker introduces CSU volleyball head coach Emily Kohan as her hiring is announced on Dec. 16, 2022, at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins. (Chris Abshire/The Coloradoan/USA Today Network)
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Fleming led the Spartans to the championship game in a senior season overshadowed by lawsuits from a teammate and a national controversy because Fleming is transgender. Fleming led the team in spikes, causing four Mountain West rivals to lose a total of seven conference games, including a tournament semifinal.
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
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