In the sun-baked courts of Southern California, where the thud of volleyballs echoes dreams of glory, a fierce battle rages not over scores, but over identity and equity. AB Hernandez, a 17-year-old transgender junior at Jurupa Valley High School, has become the epicenter of a national firestorm. Her inclusion on the girls’ varsity volleyball team has sparked protests, forfeits, and a lawsuit that cuts to the heart of American youth sports.
The controversy ignited on August 15, 2025, when Riverside Poly High School forfeited a scheduled match against Jurupa Valley. The decision, announced via a cryptic Instagram post emphasizing a “safe, positive environment,” was widely interpreted as a protest against Hernandez’s participation. Parents of Riverside Poly players confirmed to Fox News that the forfeit stemmed from concerns over fairness and safety, invoking the tragic 2022 injury of Payton McNabb, a former high school volleyball player who suffered a severe concussion from a spike by a transgender opponent.
Riverside Unified School District board member Amanda Vickers amplified the sentiment, stating, “There is a difference between biological girls and biological boys. Tonight, the girls of Riverside Poly High School are not going to end up like Payton McNabb.” This marked the beginning of a domino effect, with eight high schools ultimately forfeiting games against Jurupa Valley by late September, including in-league rival Patriot High School on September 26.
As the forfeits mounted—AB Miller, Orange Vista, Rim of the World among them—Jurupa Valley’s season teetered on the brink. The team, undefeated in league play at 6-0 by early October, scrambled to fill its schedule with willing opponents like Chaffey High School. Yet, even in victory, shadows loomed. Observers at the Chaffey match noted Hernandez’s “clear and obvious” physical advantages, leaving rival supporters visibly upset, according to OutKick reports.
Hernandez’s athletic prowess had already drawn scrutiny earlier in 2025. In May, she dominated the CIF State Track and Field Championships, clinching gold in the high jump (5 feet 7 inches) and triple jump (42 feet 2.75 inches), plus silver in the long jump. This triumph followed a federal standoff: President Trump’s administration ordered investigations into California’s transgender inclusion policies, briefly threatening her eligibility. California sued the U.S. Justice Department in June, defending state law AB 1266, which since 2014 has allowed students to compete based on gender identity.
The volleyball saga escalated in September when three current and former Jurupa Valley teammates—Hadeel Hazameh, Alyssa McPherson, and Madison McPherson—filed a federal lawsuit against the Jurupa Unified School District, California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), and Department of Education. The suit alleges Title IX violations, claiming Hernandez’s presence in the girls’ locker room and on the court created an unsafe, discriminatory environment.
“Beyond the locker room, A.H. engaged in unwelcome and offensive contact, including slapping and/or placing his hands on female players’ buttocks, including Plaintiffs, during practices, games, and huddles,” the complaint states. It further accuses Hernandez of making lewd comments about male anatomy and threatening sexual assault, forcing female athletes to “change in bathroom stalls or forego showering” to avoid discomfort. The plaintiffs seek an injunction barring Hernandez from girls’ sports and damages for emotional distress.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court, has galvanized conservative activists. Groups like the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS) hailed the forfeits as a stand for “protecting women’s spaces,” while social media erupted with posts decrying “males in girls’ sports.” Libs of TikTok amplified the controversy, calling for the school to be defunded, garnering over 17,000 likes.
Yet, amid the uproar, voices of support emerged. Jurupa Valley City Council honored Hernandez in June for her track achievements, and her coach, Liana Manu, has defended her right to play. Hernandez herself broke her silence in a September CBS Los Angeles interview, saying, “I can tune it out pretty well. They see how hard I train… I probably do 10 times more than any athlete at my school.” Her words underscore a teen navigating adolescence under a microscope.
At the heart of this tumult stands Nereyda Hernandez, AB’s mother—a resilient figure whose public testimony has transformed personal pain into a clarion call for inclusion. On August 21, Nereyda addressed the Riverside Unified School District board, her voice steady despite the packed room’s tension. “You are a board member. You have an oath to protect, to support all children, not just the ones that fit your ideas, your beliefs,” she declared, her words piercing the air like a well-placed serve.
She lambasted the forfeits as orchestrated discrimination, not genuine concern for fairness. “My daughter is not the problem. The problem is coordinated external efforts often led by individuals who travel from district to district… to spread fear and put parents against each other, using religion as a shield for discrimination.” Nereyda singled out figures like Sonja Shaw, Chino Valley Unified School District board president, who had previously outed AB on social media.
“This has nothing to do with fairness in sport and everything to do with erasing transgender children,” she continued, her plea echoing California’s legal framework. Her Instagram posts reinforced this, quoting state policies: “When we follow California law… we are respectful, inclusive, and principled citizens.” Nereyda’s advocacy extended to supporting Poly students protesting their own school’s post, which allegedly fueled online bullying against AB.
By October, the strain showed. Jurupa Valley entered playoffs as River Valley League champions but faced a hostile crowd at their Division 5 opener against Valencia High School on October 22. Pro-women’s sports activists, waving “Protect Women’s Sports” signs, packed the stands, their chants drowning out cheers. Hernandez played her heart out, but the team fell in straight sets, 25-18, 25-20, 25-16—ending AB’s high school volleyball career on a bittersweet note.
In the loss’s aftermath, Nereyda remained unbowed. Speaking to The Guardian, she expressed gratitude for teams like Culver City and Chaffey that honored their matchups. “As a mom, it means a lot. Those girls mean a lot because I know it helps AB get through these hard times.” Her daughter’s resilience, she added, stems from rigorous training and teammate bonds forged in adversity.
This saga mirrors broader fractures in U.S. youth sports. Since 2020, 24 states have enacted bans on transgender girls in female categories, citing biological advantages in strength and speed—studies from the Journal of Medical Ethics support disparities persisting post-puberty. Yet, advocates like the ACLU argue such policies violate equal protection, pointing to low transgender participation rates (under 1% of students).
In California, a progressive bulwark, the clash tests Title IX’s promise of equal opportunity. The lawsuit could set precedent; if successful, it might ripple nationwide, challenging CIF’s gender identity policy. Meanwhile, federal probes linger, with Trump’s June directive still under litigation.
Nereyda’s voice cuts through the noise, humanizing the debate. At a September school board meeting, she challenged detractors: “Trans kids are kids, and no kid is deserving of being attacked.” Her words, amplified by outlets like Outsports, have rallied LGBTQ+ allies, who view the forfeits as bullying veiled as principle.
As winter approaches, AB eyes collegiate prospects—perhaps track at a Division I program—while Nereyda vows continued fight. “We’re not rule-followers; we’re citizens building a world where every child spikes their dreams without fear.” In Jurupa Valley’s gym, where echoes of rallies fade, her stand endures—a mother’s love volleying against a tide of division.
The controversy’s toll is profound. Female athletes on Jurupa Valley’s roster, caught in crossfire, report anxiety and lost opportunities; one anonymous player told Fox News Digital, “We’re teenagers… we can’t defend ourselves against adults.” Protests outside games, including heckling at the October 16 Norte Vista match, have intensified, with “Protect Women’s Sports” crowds swelling.
