A California high school volleyball team withdrew from a scheduled match Friday night rather than compete against a rival school featuring a transgender athlete.
Riverside Poly High School announced its girls’ volleyball team would not take the court against Jurupa Valley High School, where AB Hernandez plays for the Lady Jags. The Bears’ athletic department issued a brief statement explaining the decision.
“This match will be recorded as a forfeit in non-league standings,” the school said. “We understand this is disappointing for our athletes, families, and supporters, and we appreciate the community’s understanding. We remain committed to providing a safe, positive environment for all student-athletes throughout the season.”
While the school did not explicitly state the reason for the forfeit, Amanda Vickers, a member of the Riverside Unified School District board, believes the decision centered on Hernandez’s participation on the opposing team.
“I do believe it is because they are playing AB Hernandez, and that a decision was made that the students didn’t want to,” Vickers told Fox News. She also revealed that some parents had prepared to demonstrate at the match. “I did get a message yesterday that there (were) parents (of players) that were wearing ‘Save Girls Sports’ shirts. So they were kind of prepared for a protest today.”
Hernandez gained national attention earlier this summer during California’s track and field championships, where the athlete claimed gold medals in both the high jump and triple jump at the California Interscholastic Federation state finals. The victories came despite protests from parents and community members, and occurred in direct defiance of President Donald Trump’s executive order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.”
The transgender athlete’s athletic success extends beyond this year’s track season. Hernandez previously helped lead Jurupa Valley’s volleyball team to a championship and an undefeated league season.
The situation has drawn comparisons to other incidents involving transgender athletes in women’s sports. Vickers specifically referenced the case of Payton McNabb, a former North Carolina high school volleyball player who suffered severe injuries after being struck by a spike from a transgender competitor.
“What this is about is there is a difference between biological girls and biological boys,” Vickers explained. “And, tonight, the girls of Riverside Polly High School, they’re not going to end up like Payton McNabb.”
McNabb’s case has become a rallying point for those advocating for restrictions on transgender athletic participation, as the former player sustained “impaired vision, partial paralysis on her right side, and anxiety and depression” from the incident.
The controversy surrounding Hernandez has already prompted policy changes at the state level. In May, just days before the track championships, the California Interscholastic Federation announced new guidelines allowing an additional student to compete and medal in events where Hernandez qualified, effectively creating separate recognition categories.
The federal government has taken notice of California’s policies regarding transgender athletes. President Trump has threatened to withhold federal funding from the state, criticizing Governor Gavin Newsom for what he characterized as illegally allowing men to compete in women’s sports.
The U.S. Department of Justice has since filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation, challenging what it terms “illegal” policies on transgender athletic participation.
The incident leaves both teams’ seasons affected, with Jurupa Valley receiving a forfeit victory while Riverside Poly’s players miss an opportunity to compete.
