Girls track – Two high-school track stars say they’re fed up after a transgender rival won multiple jump events for a third straight year, amid renewed Title IX fallout for California.
A new wave of anger and frustration has erupted in California girls track and field after two high-school athletes said they are still facing the same controversy for a third straight year: competing against a transgender rival.
In Saturday’s CIF Southern Section Division 3 preliminaries, Jurupa Valley senior AB Hernandez won first in three jumping events, drawing renewed protests from supporters of “Save Girls Sports” who accused California Governor Gavin Newsom of abandoning girls in sport.
Hernandez claimed the triple jump title with a mark of 42 feet 4 inches, beating the nearest competitor by several feet. Her long jump of 20 feet 4 1/4 inches also stood well clear of the rest of the field, with her best effort surpassing the closest competitor by more than a foot.
The controversy intensified further in the high jump. where Hernandez tied for first at 5 feet 2 inches with Crean Lutheran High School’s Reese Hogan.. The shared top result came after Hogan had previously competed against Hernandez in a CIF in 2025. when she finished second and—according to her account—was later “stripped away” of a CIF title.
Hogan’s reaction to Saturday’s proceedings has been shaped by that earlier outcome.. After a photo of the Crean Lutheran athlete appeared standing atop the podium in the “first place” position during an earlier moment—before Hernandez’s own placement moments later went viral—Hogan said she became even more determined to press her case publicly.
In interviews carried in the days that followed, Hogan criticized what she described as officials failing to act.. She told Fox News Digital that it was her third year competing against a transgender athlete and said last year’s process left her feeling that she had been denied the title she had worked toward.. Hogan also said it was “disappointing” to enter a meet knowing, in her view, the outcome was already decided.
Hogan’s remarks did not only focus on the athlete on the field; they also targeted leadership and governing bodies.. She said she was there to “stand up for girls in girls sports. ” and urged CIF and the state of California to provide what she described as stronger support for female athletes who train for an even playing field.
She pointed to comments attributed to Newsom’s office. arguing that the governor has admitted male participation in women’s sports is “unfair” while taking insufficient action to protect girls in high school competition.. Hogan said the situation motivated her to work harder. while also acknowledging a “strong possibility” the transgender athlete would take all three titles.
Meanwhile, Hogan’s Crean Lutheran teammate, Olivia Viola, also addressed the issue in an interview on Tuesday.. Viola said she hadn’t heard “nearly enough adults” respond to the concerns raised. adding that many adults appear supportive in private conversation but do not speak out publicly themselves.
Viola rejected the idea that those criticizing current policy are “bullies.” She argued that the governor’s language—framing opponents as bullying—was “manipulative” and said it was untrue.. She said she and other girls were not attacking individual athletes. but instead were challenging the policies they believe deny women the dignity of their own category.
The debate is closely tied to the governing rules that determine eligibility.. A statement previously provided to Fox News Digital from Newsom’s office defended the status quo by pointing to a 2013 law requiring students to participate in sex-segregated school sports consistent with their gender identity.. The statement said Newsom believes discussions should be shaped by fairness. dignity. and respect. and rejected attempts to “weaponize” the issue against individual students.
According to that earlier statement. California is one of 22 states with such requirements. and the law—signed in 2013 by Governor Jerry Brown—was identified as AB 1266.. It emphasized standing with all kids and standing up to bullies. an argument Viola said she views as attempting to silence athletes.
Outside the meet, the protests continued to draw broader scrutiny over what current participation rules mean for girls’ opportunities.. “Save Girls Sports” outreach director and former NCAA soccer player Sophia Lorey told the crowd outside the event that transgender participation in girls sports will lead to lost scholarship opportunities.
Lorey’s concerns were presented in terms of placements and access to opportunities.. She said the presence of transgender athletes would cause girls across California to continue losing placements. safety. and opportunities they “rightfully earned. ” and she pointed to a CIF bylaw allowing participation based on gender identity.
During Saturday’s protest, Hogan told the crowd that she felt CIF had remained silent. She said CIF had never responded to her, acknowledged her concerns, or listened to female athletes she believes have been affected by decisions tied to eligibility rules.
The latest outcry arrives as legal pressure over Title IX compliance continues to expand. The turmoil follows a lawsuit launched in July by the U.S. Department of Justice against California state agencies over alleged Title IX violations connected to the same athlete’s earlier victories.
Since then, the U.S. Department of Education has expanded its investigation to include 17 additional institutions across California, raising the stakes of how civil-rights obligations are interpreted and enforced.
The immediate sporting controversy also remains tightly linked to CIF’s policies. with the Daily Mail reaching out to CIF for comment regarding the renewed uproar.. For now. the athletes at the center of the fight say their frustration is not just about a single meet. but about a persistent pattern that they believe has not been addressed.
girls track CIF preliminaries AB Hernandez Reese Hogan Title IX backlash Gavin Newsom Save Girls Sports