Santa Rosa JC Volleyball Players Sit Out Over Trans Teammate, Trigger Federal Title IX Probes

Madison Shaw planned to use Santa Rosa Junior College as a path to NCAA volleyball. Instead, she left the team amid a dispute over a transgender teammate that drew federal scrutiny.

With graduation approaching, Shaw cannot pursue her NCAA goals, the main reason she enrolled at Santa Rosa. "It was the only plan I had," she told Fox News Digital. She aimed to transfer to Chico State University through recruiting but could not upload game film or host coaches during her sophomore year after sitting out.

Shaw stepped away in the fall, unwilling to share a locker room with a biological male. She believed it violated her Title IX rights to privacy, safety and equal opportunity. Santa Rosa, a junior college not affiliated with the NCAA, followed California Community College Athletic Association rules. The CCCAA permits biological males to join women's teams after one year of testosterone suppression.

Shaw, freshman teammate Brielle Galli and Shaw's sister Gracie filed a Title IX complaint last September. The U.S. Department of Education and a federal Title IX task force opened investigations into Santa Rosa and the CCCAA in January.

After the complaint gained national attention, campus tensions rose. The three women said Santa Rosa President Dr. Angélica Garcia held a pro-trans rally before a game and distributed packets calling the school a gender-inclusive space. Gracie Shaw alleged this, with Madison Shaw and Galli agreeing.

Former friends distanced themselves. "We were completely ostracized," Gracie Shaw said. "We were left in the dark." Teammates formed separate group chats and held uninvited meetings. The players faced social media backlash and felt uneasy on campus. Once, students photographed and recorded Gracie Shaw and Galli without consent near a table with a sign reading "We are Christians, ask us anything."

College investigators questioned them after the complaint went public. "Those interviews really rubbed me the wrong way," Galli said. She claimed officials repeated questions to elicit different answers and stressed available counseling resources, despite earlier safety complaints to the coach.

Santa Rosa Junior College issued a statement. "Santa Rosa Junior College is committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for all students and employees," it said. "The District complies with California Community College Athletic Association 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."

Support came from elsewhere. During a game against Sierra College in Rocklin, California, protesters rallied outside with "save women's sports" signs. Sierra men's athletes joined in. Local activist Beth Bourne handed out signs to students. "There were men that were college students... that were holding those signs in support of us," Galli said.

Gracie Shaw practiced but skipped games in protest before quitting. All three thanked the Trump administration for backing their complaint. Madison Shaw works three jobs to save for tuition. Her family, all former athletes, struggled to see her opportunities vanish. Galli and Gracie Shaw plan another junior college year.