LOVB franchise owner says transgender athletes ‘should be able to play’ in women’s volleyball

Chantell Preston, a co-founder and co-owner of the incoming San Francisco Signal franchise who also holds an ownership stake in League One Volleyball, did not give a yes-or-no answer when asked by OutKick whether only females should compete in women’s sports, instead saying males who identify as transgender should be allowed to play, subject to unspecified “requirements”.

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League One Volleyball, known as LOVB, is a women’s professional league that says it will expand by four teams for its third season, adding Los Angeles, San Francisco, Minnesota and Miami. The San Francisco Signal is scheduled to begin play in January 2027.

Preston said she was not sure whether LOVB permits transgender athletes to compete in its women’s league.

“I’m not exactly sure what League One Volleyball’s policy is on that,” Preston said. “All I know is that we’re going to go after the best players.”

Preston initially described the issue as a “minute” one. OutKick responded that eligibility is the first question organized sports must answer, then asked whether males who identify as transgender should compete in women’s sports.

“I don’t have an issue with it as long as it’s within certain boundaries,” she said. “I think that there needs to be qualifications in regards to someone that plays. Do I have an issue with there being trans? It depends on the situation. I’m not really sure I have a position on it other than I think they should be able to play. Obviously there are certain requirements.”

Preston said she also thinks about parents of transgender children.

“My children are not trans, but I can only imagine as a parent what they’re going through,” Preston said. “So I think we need to look at the subject in a little different lens.”

Preston said her views were personal and did not represent LOVB or the San Francisco Signal.

LOVB’s eligibility process remains unclear. After OutKick asked the league about its eligibility rules, LOVB said it follows USA Volleyball’s policies and guidelines. When asked how those rules apply to a professional women’s league, LOVB did not provide further details.

“LOVB follows the policies and guidelines established by USA Volleyball (USAV) regarding athlete eligibility and participation,” a LOVB spokesperson said. “We operate in accordance with the standards set by our sport’s governing body.”

Players compete during a League One Volleyball match between LOVB Austin and LOVB Salt Lake. LOVB’s gender eligibility policy for its women’s league remains unclear as a franchise co-owner says transgender athletes should be allowed to play. (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

USA Volleyball’s written policy says its athletes are expected to compete according to the gender assigned at birth on their birth certificate. The same document says an athlete’s competition gender in USA Volleyball’s membership system “has not officially been verified.”

Neither LOVB nor USA Volleyball responded to follow-up questions from OutKick.

What USA Volleyball’s policy says

USA Volleyball’s Gender Competition Policy applies to “all USA Volleyball Members and USAV Athletes” participating in USA Volleyball-sanctioned events or activities.

The organization’s stated standard is that athletes are expected to compete “as a member of the gender assigned at the time of birth on their birth certificate.”

USA Volleyball says athletes select a gender when buying a membership, and that selection appears in both the athlete’s profile and in the organization’s “Verified/Membership” information. Athletes can change the gender in their profile at any time. Only USA Volleyball or regional administrators can change the athlete’s “Verified/Membership” gender, which the policy says is the athlete’s competition gender.

The policy then adds: “USAV Verified/Membership gender has not officially been verified.”

LOVB cites USA Volleyball’s gender policy, but neither organization answered questions about birth certificate verification. (Anadolu via Getty Images)

The policy also lays out a process for athletes who select “non-binary” in their profile. When a competition offers only male and female categories, USA Volleyball or a regional administrator must work with the athlete to determine a competition gender based on the athlete’s gender assigned at birth.

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OutKick asked USA Volleyball whether it verifies an athlete’s birth certificate; whether an amended certificate establishes eligibility; and what documentation is required before an athlete’s competition gender is assigned or changed. USA Volleyball did not respond.

A current state-by-state policy map from the Movement Advancement Project found that 40 states allow people to amend the sex marker on a birth certificate through some process, though the requirements range from an administrative change with no provider documentation to a court order, proof of surgery or both.

USA Volleyball’s policy does not say whether it relies on an athlete’s original birth certificate or an amended one.

LOVB cites USA Volleyball without explaining its own process

LOVB began play in 2025. Its response to OutKick did not state whether LOVB Pro matches are USA Volleyball-sanctioned, whether professional players must be USA Volleyball members, or whether LOVB has its own process for determining athlete eligibility.

A League One Volleyball franchise co-owner says transgender athletes should be allowed to play women’s sports, but LOVB’s eligibility policy is unclear. (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

OutKick also asked LOVB whether it applies USA Volleyball’s policy exactly as written, whether it independently verifies eligibility, and whether an amended birth certificate would establish eligibility for its women’s league. LOVB did not give a response to those questions.

USA Volleyball says its policy reserves women’s competition for athletes assigned female at birth. The same policy acknowledges that an athlete’s competition gender “has not officially been verified.”

LOVB says it follows USA Volleyball’s policy. But neither organization answered OutKick’s questions about whether USA Volleyball checks birth certificates, recognizes amended records or how the policy applies to LOVB’s professional league. That leaves no way to determine whether LOVB’s women’s league actually excludes males.

OutKick will update this story if LOVB or USA Volleyball provides additional clarification.