A California high school girls’ volleyball team has been forced to forfeit at least 10 matches this season after multiple schools refused to compete against them due to the presence of a male transgender athlete on the roster. The situation has sparked legal action, heightened political tensions, and reignited concerns over fairness and safety in girls’ sports.
Jurupa Valley High School, part of the Jurupa Unified School District, remains undefeated in league play. However, several of their wins came by forfeiture after schools such as Patriot High School declined to field a varsity squad against them. While junior varsity and freshman teams competed, varsity matches were canceled. Other schools that refused to play include Los Osos, Riverside Poly, Rim of the World, AB Miller, Yucaipa, Aquinas, San Dimas, and Orange Vista.
Districts and schools have not publicly commented on their decisions, but the backlash has intensified. Two Jurupa Valley seniors, Alyssa McPherson and Hadeel Hazameh, left the team mid-season and filed a lawsuit against the district. Alongside McPherson’s sister Madison, they allege physical and emotional harm due to the transgender athlete’s participation in games and shared use of the girls’ locker room.
The athlete in question, AB Hernandez, previously competed in the girls’ state track and field meet, generating controversy after placing ahead of biological females. That incident led to executive action from President Donald Trump, who ordered federal education and sports entities to uphold Title IX protections for women. In response, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) changed medal protocols to avoid displacing female athletes.
Despite federal action, California officials continue to resist. In April 2025, Democrat lawmakers in Sacramento rejected two bills that would have banned biological males from girls’ sports. Governor Gavin Newsom, while distancing himself from the law’s implications, acknowledged that even advocates of transgender policies are questioning the competitive imbalance.
