The San Jose State University women’s volleyball team is set to face Boise State University Friday at the Mountain West tournament in what would usually be a celebration of athletic prowess and achievement.

Colorado State women’s volleyball will play in the Mountain West conference championship game against San Jose State University on Saturday amid a national controversy that has engulfed the Spartan’s team over a transgender athlete.

The women’s volleyball team at the center of a national debate over gender and sports advanced to the conference championship after Boise State refused to play.

The latest battleground in America’s culture war over gender identity will take place Saturday on a volleyball court in Las Vegas.

San Jose State’s volleyball team was the subject of a national debate about women in sports. The Spartans were beaten by Colorado State 27-25, 25-20, 23-25, 25-16 in Saturday’s Mountain West tournament final.

San Jose State University said it was “disappointed” after Boise State dropped out of the end-of-season women’s volleyball championship rather than play the Spartans, whose team features a biological male.

Boise State’s women’s volleyball team has withdrawn from its Mountain West Conference Championship tournament match against San Jose State University (SJSU) amid an ongoing, unfounded gender controversy surrounding an SJSU player.

A look at key dates before and during the San Jose State women’s volleyball season. The Spartans are 14-6, plus six wins via forfeit by four schools in Mountain West Conference regular-season play.

The Broncos had already forfeited two matches against the Spartans based on moral grounds. Now Boise State has done so a third time with a lot more at stake.

San Jose State's women's volleyball season ended by loss to Colorado State in the Mountain West tournament final

San Jose State’s season was marked by forfeits, limited protests and the topic of gender identity becoming a political issue in an election year.