LOGAN, Utah — Utah State University volleyball player Kaylie Ray claims she and her teammates have been vilified for taking a stand against transgender people participating in collegiate sports.

In a lawsuit filed by several players from other universities against the Mountain West Conference, Ray shared what led up to Utah State canceling its game against San Jose State University because of a transgender player, and the repercussions she and her teammates allegedly faced afterward.

The players complain that because an alleged transgender athlete is allowed to compete for San Jose State University, they face unfair conditions during games.

After other schools previously canceled or forfeited games against San Jose State, Utah State did the same for its scheduled Oct. 23 contest.

In the lawsuit, Ray claims Utah State coaches were originally going to play the San Jose State game before Aggies players met with school president Elizabeth Cantwell and athletic director Diana Sabau.

During the meeting, players were asked to take an anonymous survey about their feelings about playing San Jose State. After reading the answers, the match was called off.

“My teammates and I are happy that we are standing up for our rights as women, but we are making significant sacrifices to do so,” Ray said in the lawsuit.

But when the game was suspended, Ray said she and her teammates “experienced additional efforts to prevent them from speaking out about women’s rights.”

During a Friday practice where Aggies players can wear whatever they want, Ray and three teammates wore “BOYCOTT” t-shirts in a show of solidarity and shared a photo on social media.

In the following days, Ray said head coach Rob Neilson told her on a road trip that the head coach at San Jose State thought the image was “disgusting.” Ray added that Neilson later “spoke sharply” to her and another teammate while in the film room, allegedly calling them “selfish” for posting the photo.

According to Ray, Neilson told her that “USU players should avoid making any more public statements about this matter.”

Ray added that the school has since pressured her and her teammates to agree that they will not protest during the Mountain West Conference volleyball tournament in which San Jose State is scheduled to participate.

In a statement to FOX 13 News, Utah State said it supports student rights.

“USU supports the right of all students to speak out on important issues regardless of their point of view,” the school said in the statement. “Ms. Ray has been steadfast in her advocacy for women in sports and USU supports her right to advocate her position through litigation.”