Women's tennis legend Martina Navratilova has called on San Jose State University (SJSU) to dismiss volleyball coach Todd Kress following allegations reported by Fox News Digital. The allegations stem from a letter sent to the university in fall 2024 by a former player accusing Kress of misconduct during his time at Fairfield University in 1998.

The alleged incident reportedly occurred in a hotel after Fairfield's loss to Clemson in the first round of the 1998 NCAA Tournament. The former player claimed that teammates had been drinking with Kress underage and that she did not report the incident at the time due to fear of losing her scholarship and affecting her teammates'.

Navratilova amplified the call for Kress's dismissal by resharing a post from Olympic gold medalist Nancy Hogshead, who criticized Kress's handling of female and transgender players during his first two seasons at SJSU. Navratilova wrote, "This is truly sickening… this coach should have been fired yesterday!"

Fox News Digital has reached out to SJSU and Kress for comment. The inquiry into the matter includes requests for Kress's response to the 1998 allegations, details on actions taken by the Title IX office following meetings in November 2024, and whether current players were interviewed about their safety.

Notable Quotes

  • "Astonished... that is the only word I can think of to describe how I felt in that moment... Todd was drunk. I got up and went for the door."
  • "I told her I wanted no part of his insanity. I was distraught about the loss and wasn’t interested in his drunken insanity, which was commonplace on trips."
  • "Sex discrimination rarely manifests in just one form," referencing Kress's alleged conduct.

Background

The controversy arises amid broader scrutiny of SJSU's volleyball program, including a highly publicized transgender athlete controversy during the same period.

Image Caption

Martina Navratilova at the Laureus World Sports Awards Madrid 2024. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images for Laureus)

Sources