Three female volleyball players at Santa Rosa Junior College found themselves benched and stripped of starting positions after protesting the participation of a transgender athlete on their women’s team, according to a Title IX complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.
The controversy centers around sophomore Madison Shaw, her sister Gracie Shaw, a freshman, and freshman Brielle Galli. They raised concerns about competing alongside Ximena Gomez, a male-born athlete playing on the women’s volleyball team. Their protests came amid a series of incidents that left multiple players injured during practice sessions.
The situation escalated following several concerning incidents on the court. In late 2024, Gomez’s spike allegedly caused a concussion that sidelined a teammate for two weeks. The pattern continued into 2025, with Gracie Shaw being struck in the face by spikes from Gomez on two separate occasions in August, including one described in the complaint as moving at “unprecedented speed.”
The complaint alleges that after the Shaw sisters and Galli voiced their objections to Gomez’s participation, they faced swift retaliation from the coaching staff. Coach Ally Sather allegedly benched the three players, reduced their playing time, canceled requested team meetings about the issue, and withheld equal coaching attention.
During an August tournament, the three athletes staged a silent protest by sitting on the bench in uniform while Gomez played. Their resistance came at a personal cost – Madison Shaw ultimately quit the team in late August, while Gracie and Brielle continue to face eligibility risks if they persist in their protests.
The case highlights a collision between federal and state policies. The California Community College Athletic Association’s Transgender Participation Policy, adopted in 2020 and revised multiple times since, allows male athletes to compete on women’s teams after one year of testosterone suppression. However, the policy sets no testosterone limits, requires no independent testing, and permits competition without disclosing biological sex if the athlete identified as female before enrolling.
This state-level approach conflicts with federal executive orders under President Trump that reinforce Title IX by barring male-born athletes from women’s athletics. The complaint alleges that SRJC Athletic Director Matt Markovich acknowledged the college risked federal funding by prioritizing state policy but took no corrective action.
The athletes’ concerns extended beyond competitive fairness to safety and privacy issues. The complaint notes that Gomez accessed women’s locker rooms, making female athletes uncomfortable, while the documented injuries raised questions about physical disparities between male-born and female athletes in high-impact sports.
Santa Rosa Junior College maintained its position through spokesperson Sarah Pew, who stated: “Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) is committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for all students and employees. The District complies with California Community College Athletic Association (3C2A) regulations, which govern student eligibility and participation in our athletic programs. We respect the legal privacy rights of all students and cannot discuss individual circumstances. What we can affirm is that SRJC takes all reports seriously and responds through established procedures.”
The athletes’ legal representation came from the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS), with attorney William Bock delivering a sharp response to the college’s handling of the situation.
“It is inexcusable that Santa Rosa Junior College will not provide an honest, substantive, or coherent response that owns up to the many months in which SRJC has callously prioritized the selfish demand of a man to play on SRJC’s women’s varsity volleyball team, instead of protecting the safety, equal opportunities, and locker room privacy of its young women and volleyball players,” Bock stated.
He continued his criticism: “It is not ‘inclusive’ or ‘supportive’ to help men to steal women’s opportunities and trample women’s rights in varsity sports. The truth is that Madison and Gracie Shaw and Brielle Galli are courageous young girls who have been willingly sacrificed by SRJC administrators to radical gender ideology and the selfish desires of a man.”
The complaint seeks extensive relief, including a federal investigation, a ruling that the transgender participation policy violates Title IX, suspension of funding for noncompliant colleges, penalties against institutions, and new rules ensuring only biological females compete on women’s teams.
