Orange Vista Explains Volleyball Forfeit Against Jurupa Valley: 'Team Decision'

Orange Vista, one of the three schools that forfeited a girls' volleyball match against Jurupa Valley, sent a statement to OutKick on Monday, explaining its decision. 

While the statement didn't directly mention AB Hernandez, the male athlete who claims to identify as female and competes in girls' sports, it seems far more likely than not this was the biggest factor in the decision. 

"After thoughtful discussions, our student-athletes had with the coaching staff, it was decided to cancel our upcoming Girls’ Varsity volleyball match against Jurupa Valley High School," the statement from a school spokesperson said. 

"This decision was made in conjunction with the athletic directors at both Orange Vista and Jurupa Valley. Our priority is always the well-being of our students. We are proud of our athletes for bringing their thoughts forward and for supporting one another to make this a team decision."

Orange Vista didn't specifically mention transgender athlete AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley High School (pictured) in its statement explaining the volleyball forfeit, but that's more than likely the reason. 

(Kirby Lee/Getty Images)

Based on the statement, it appears that the student-athletes on the Orange Vista volleyball team played a large role in forfeiting the match rather than contesting it. 

OutKick reached out to all three schools that have forfeited against Jurupa Valley – as well as its next two opponents, A.B. Miller and Rubidoux – but Orange Vista is the only one of the five to provide a statement thus far. 

From OutKick's previous report: 

California is one of the many states in America that refuses to comply with President Donald Trump's Executive Order 14201, "Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports," signed Feb. 5, 2025. Although Governor Gavin Newsom has called males competing in women's sports "deeply unfair," he's taken no steps to resolve the problem. 

Because of that, some schools are taking matters into their own hands. 

Earlier this month, Riverside Poly High School forfeited a girls' volleyball match against Jurupa Valley High School because Jurupa Valley rosters AB Hernandez, a male athlete who claims to identify as a female and competes in multiple girls' sports. Hernandez won two California state track & field titles earlier this year. 

Transgender athlete AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley High School (left) and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (right). 

(Getty Images)

Two additional schools have since announced their forfeits against Jurupa Valley. 

"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," a statement from Jurupa Valley to Fox News Digital said. 

"As a public school district in California, JUSD is compelled to follow the law, which protects students from discrimination based on gender identity and requires that students be permitted to participate on athletic teams that are consistent with their gender identity (California Education Code 221.5 (f)). This is consistent with the guidance provided by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond." 

RELATED: Mom Of AB Hernandez Teammate Begs Gavin Newsom To Ban Males From Women's Sports

None of the three schools that has forfeited have explicitly stated that the cancellations are because of Hernandez, although it's overwhelmingly clear that's the case. Part of the reason is likely because of the California law that allows athletes to compete in sports consistent with their "gender identity" rather than their biological reality. 

Should a school expressly state that it refuses to play against a transgender athlete, it could potentially face legal consequences. 

That's how backward the state of California is when it comes to policy. The school that rosters a male athlete on its girls' teams is perfectly within its right to do so. But a team that refuses to participate in that farce could be subject to consequences. 

It'll be interesting to see what happens the rest of the season. As the Jurupa Valley statement notes, the schools that forfeited reside in different districts. Will schools in Jurupa's district follow suit? That's unclear. 

Jurupa Valley is part of the Jurupa Unified School District. Their next match is against a school in the Fontana Unified School District, A.B. Miller, on September 10. Their first match against another school in the JUSD is scheduled for September 17 against Rubidoux. 

Stay tuned.