Santa Rosa Junior College players file federal Title IX complaint alleging injuries from transgender teammate

Three Santa Rosa Junior College women’s volleyball players filed a Title IX complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights last week, alleging a biological male transgender teammate delivered forceful spikes that caused head injuries and that school officials retaliated when the players raised concerns about his participation.

The complaint names players Madison Shaw, Gracie Shaw and Brielle Galli and contends that administrators and coaches delayed or blocked the athletes from explaining why they would not play alongside the teammate. Madison and Gracie spoke to Fox News Digital about incidents they described as involving a teammate identified by Madison as former player Kiana Walker.

Madison told Fox News Digital that last spring she saw the trans teammate spike a ball into a teammate’s head with enough force to cause a concussion, forcing the player to miss about two weeks of school. "It had so much force and so much impact with my teammate's head that it resulted in a concussion," Madison said. Gracie said she was struck in the face during a practice in August and described the hit as harder and faster than those from other female teammates.

The three players' complaint alleges that when they raised their objections internally — to their coach, the athletic director and the college's Title IX coordinator — administrators retaliated by limiting their ability to notify teammates of their decision not to play and by interfering with meetings the players attempted to hold. Madison said a coach texted her that she could not address the team about her reasons for stepping away and cited the male athlete's privacy. Gracie said a scheduled weightlifting session was canceled the night before, which she and others felt was intended to silence them, and that a coach discouraged attendance at a Zoom meeting the players organized.

Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) provided a statement to Fox News Digital saying the district is "committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for all students and employees" and that it complies with California Community College Athletic Association (3C2A) eligibility rules. The statement added that the college respects students' legal privacy rights and "cannot discuss individual circumstances," and that it "takes all reports seriously and responds through established procedures."

Debate over the participation of transgender athletes in girls’ and women’s sports has intensified in California and elsewhere. The U.S. Department of Justice has sued the California Department of Education over policies that allow biological males to compete in female categories in sports. At the NCAA Division I level, San Jose State University faced scrutiny last fall over the participation of a transgender athlete, prompting a federal Title IX investigation at that time. At the high school level, a transgender athlete on a Jurupa Valley team led to opponents forfeiting matches and players stepping away from competition.

The players’ complaint asks federal investigators to review whether SRJC’s handling of their concerns and any subsequent actions violated Title IX protections. SRJC’s statement did not address specific allegations in the complaint and said only that it follows established procedures to respond to reports. The Office for Civil Rights does not comment publicly on pending complaints.

The three athletes said they want to continue playing but not on the court while the male athlete participates. They described their decision as one made to protect their safety and competitive fairness. The college’s adherence to CCCAA rules, the legal status of transgender participation policies and any findings from the federal complaint will shape the next steps in the dispute.