Transgender volleyball player reportedly awarded women's scholarship, Riley Gaines reacts: 'How can he be proud?'

A transgender high school volleyball player — who was born a male — has been awarded a scholarship to play on the women's team, according to a new report.

Tate Drageset, 17, has verbally committed to the University of Washington after being offered a scholarship by the university, according to Reduxx. The transgender player will reportedly seize one of the 12 highly-coveted scholarships designated for women at the University of Washington. The scholarships are "often spread out over the course of four years, with as few as two to three being offered per year," the outlet reported.

The transgender player will purportedly become the first known biological male recipient of a women’s Division 1 athletic scholarship.

Drageset has been a dominant force when playing against girls in high school.

Drageset was awarded the title of the California Interscholastic Federation’s Division 5 Player of the 2022-23 Year. Drageset was named an MVP at the Girls Junior National Championships.

Last summer, Drageset was a major contributor to two USA Volleyball teams in two separate age groups that both went on to win national titles.

Drageset also plays Teqball — a sport played on a curved ping pong table that has volleyball aspects. Earlier this year, Drageset won a silver medal and was awarded a $2,000 prize while competing against professional female players at the Teqvoly World Tour.

According to Reduxx, "But Drageset’s transgender status has reportedly been concealed from public knowledge, with coaches, parents, and opposing players being left uninformed of his biological sex ahead of games."

Tate reportedly played against 14-year-old girls since Drageset was 12.

A parent of a girl in the Southern California Volleyball Association community told the outlet, “You could tell even back then that he was different from the girls. As he got older, it became more obvious that something was off. Anytime the subject of [Drageset] would come up every parent from any SCVA team already knew about him. Parents look around before they speak in hushed tones. Some will wait to discuss until outside the gym."

“Everyone is scared of how their child will be treated if they speak up. It’s already so competitive to get on a good club team,” the parent said. “The stealing of positions and opportunities has been infuriating and so sad when you see how it affects the girls. There is no concern for their mental health or safety after being replaced.”

The Independent Council on Women’s Sports said female athletes and their families have not been made aware that they are competing against a male athlete.

“We know many of the girls he’s playing against do not know that they are competing against a male,” said Marshi Smith — representative for the Independent Council on Women’s Sports. “There has been no consideration from his family to tell female athletes or coaches the truth. They have not been transparent, so girls are repeatedly and unknowingly put at a disadvantage and not given the chance to opt out over increased safety risks.”

Former NCAA swimmer turned women's rights activist Riley Gaines railed against the possibility of a biological male receiving a scholarship intended for female athletes.

Gaines wrote on the X social media platform, "Male takes women's volleyball scholarship at @UW... a soon-to-be Big 10 school. Stealing the already few opportunities for women at the collegiate level. How can he be proud? UWVolleyball should rescind the scholarship if they really care about women. He can play with the men."

Gaines has been an advocate of women competing against women and not biological males since she battled transgender college swimmer Lia Thomas.

Drageset was allegedly featured in a Los Angeles Times profile published in 2016. When Drageset was 6 years old, Tate's father showed Tate a video of transgender reality TV star Jazz Jennings.

In 2015, Drageset's mother and father published a book for children ages 4 to 8 titled "'Pink is a Girl Color' ... and other silly things people say."

The children's picture book is "designed to encourage young children to be their authentic selves regardless of where they fall on the gender spectrum, and to generate kindness and acceptance for those whose gender identity and expression challenges that of existing stereotypes."

In 2021, the book was named during an inquiry into school district books that were questionable to be offered in Texas schools.

Tate's mother, Stacey Drageset, produced a short documentary about Tate in 2016 titled "Trans-mission.love."

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