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Two more matches have been forfeited by other schools against a California high school girls’ volleyball team, the latest in a growing controversy over a transgender player on its roster.

Maribel Munoz, a mother of one of the athletes on Jurupa Valley High School’s girls’ volleyball team, confirmed the forfeits to Fox News Digital after coach Liana Manu sent parents an email about the cancellations. The forfeits were by Rim of the World High School for the August 25 match and by Orange Vista High School for the August 29 game.

Jurupa Valley Unified School District (JUSD), in a statement, said it was disappointed in the latest forfeits and was working to ensure that its players are able to play in other matches, but it also reiterated that the forfeits were not made by its team. “We understand and acknowledge the disappointment of our Jurupa Valley High School athletes who are ready and prepared to play. Decisions to cancel matches were made by teams in other districts,” the statement said.

The district also made clear that it is required under state law not to discriminate based on gender identity and that it was directed by California Education Code 221.5 (f) that students must be allowed to compete on athletic teams that match their gender identity. JUSD said this policy has been affirmed by the California Attorney General Rob Bonta and the State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.

“We are proud of our JVHS Jaguars and their willingness to play any team and represent their school and our district with pride,” the district added, saying it is also working to reschedule matches for the team so that they do not lose the opportunity to play.

The forfeits follow a similar move by Riverside Poly High School to back out of a match against Jurupa Valley on August 15. Fox News Digital was told by parents and one local school board member involved that the school’s decision to forfeit was related to the participation of Jurupa Valley’s transgender athlete, senior AB Hernandez.

Player’s Mother Makes Rare Comment in the Face of Heightened Criticism

Hernandez’s mother, Nereyda Hernandez, said in a statement she sent to the media that she understood the concern some people have, but that it is important to be compassionate and try to understand and learn from different perspectives. “I understand the discomfort some may feel, because I was once there, too. The difference is, I chose to learn, to grow, and to open my heart,” she said.

She also defended her daughter, saying that she is petite and that what makes her stand out on the volleyball court is not her physical size or athleticism but rather her skill. “This is a child, and I can assure you that she sees your daughters as peers, as teammates, as friends, not through a lens of anything inappropriate,” Hernandez said. She added that Hernandez herself was unaware that the other teams were forfeiting because of her.

Hernandez, who is a senior and in her last year playing volleyball for Jurupa Valley, has been a focus of national controversy since the spring, when she won two state titles in the long jump and triple jump for the track and field team. That drew protests from female track athletes and their parents, many of whom wore “Save Girls’ Sports” shirts.

Former President Donald Trump also made an effort to bring attention to the issue, posting a message ahead of the state finals on his Truth Social platform. Trump called on California not to allow a trans athlete to participate, though he did not mention Hernandez by name.

The issue came to a head earlier this month when the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) over the transgender participation policies, even though Trump signed an executive order in February that also barred transgender athletes from participating on teams that match their gender identity.

Rumors of Forfeits Buzzed Jurupa Valley Team Heading into Season

She also charged that the attacks are not coming from parents and students who are concerned about fairness but are rather organized efforts to use religion as a means to intimidate and divide. “This has nothing to do with fairness in sports and everything to do with erasing transgender children,” she said.

The other side of the debate was equally as vocal at the same board meeting. One mother, Maria Carrillo, thanked the Riverside Poly girls for their courage and resolve while castigating other parents for not standing up for their children.

“Poly girls, we stand with you. Keep fighting, because these parents who support their confused child are the problem,” Carrillo said.

Jurupa Valley volleyball team’s regular season is scheduled to last through mid-October, but with more forfeits a possibility, the athletes find themselves in a squeeze between their own desires to play and a national debate that shows little sign of abating.

The issue was recently brought to the forefront by Trump, who sent another missive on Truth Social, again targeting California and its policy, this time explicitly mentioning schools not following the transgender participation rules that his administration had instituted. Trump threatened California’s Governor Gavin Newsom and all of the state’s school districts with a loss of federal funding if they don’t reverse course.

The conflicting state law and federal threat, along with local community tensions and political pressure, have combined to make a tumultuous and uncertain season for Jurupa Valley’s volleyball team and the athletes and their families.