By Gus Morris, Press Democrat
Three Santa Rosa Junior College volleyball players this week filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education alleging Title IX violations by the school and the California Community College Athletic Association for allowing a transgender player to play on the school’s team.
The complaint, made Wednesday by sophomore Madison Shaw and freshmen Gracie Shaw and Brielle Galli, alleges physical endangerment from a trans teammate and retaliation from head coach Ally Sather after the three brought forward concerns about the presence of the transgender player on the roster.
The players allege that they were benched by Sather after they voiced those concerns prior to the season, according to the complaint.
The San Francisco Chronicle first reported the complaint on Thursday.
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The Shaws and Galli, who are graduates of Windsor High School, sat out in protest for a scrimmage on Aug. 15 and opted not to play in the first few games of the 2025 season, which officially began on Aug. 22. Galli has since returned to play but is doing so “under protest,” according to the complaint. Madison Shaw has since stepped away from the team, and Gracie Shaw remains on the roster but has not appeared in any of SRJC’s first six games.
Per CCCAA policy, transgender players are allowed to participate but trans female student athletes must complete at least one calendar year of testosterone suppression to be cleared to compete.
The complaint filed by the Shaws and Galli is not a lawsuit but calls for the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights to investigate.
This is a developing story. Check back for details.