Martina Navratilova, a legendary figure in women’s tennis, has called for San Jose State University (SJSU) to dismiss volleyball coach Todd Kress. Her call for action came after Fox News Digital reported a letter detailing allegations against Kress from a former player, which surfaced at SJSU during a prominent transgender athlete scandal. The letter was sent to the university in the fall of 2024.
Navratilova amplified U.S. Olympic gold medalist swimmer Nancy Hogshead’s critical social media post. Navratilova remarked, “Fire his a–!” and expressed that the situation was “truly sickening,” asserting that Kress should have been dismissed earlier.
According to reports, the disputed email from Fox News Digital revealed details of an incident in 1998 involving a former Fairfield University player. She claimed that Kress attacked her in a hotel room during his tenure at Fairfield. The letter detailed an alleged occurrence after Fairfield’s loss to Clemson in the 1998 NCAA Tournament.
The former player recounted the details of that night, explaining she was sent to Kress’ hotel room to deliver a shirt to a teammate. Despite initial hesitations due to Kress’s erratic behavior, she complied. Upon arrival, she alleged Kress, under the influence of alcohol, engaged in inappropriate conduct, including smearing caramel on her and forcibly throwing her onto the bed.
Todd again grabbed me, picked me up, and threw me into the bathtub where he held me down,” the former player narrated. She further claimed that Kress demanded she consume alcohol before letting her leave.
The former player stated that she did not immediately report the incident, fearing the repercussions on her scholarship and her teammates’ opportunities.
In October 2024, the SJSU athletic department acknowledged receipt of the allegations. They expressed gratitude to the former player for her disclosure and apologized for her experience. Nevertheless, the coach retained his position as the head of the women’s volleyball team.
Efforts by Fox News Digital to obtain official records from SJSU regarding the allegations resulted in a formal denial. The university cited privacy concerns, stating that disclosure would infringe upon substantial privacy rights. A subsequent inquiry to Kress and university officials, requesting further clarification and actions taken, went unanswered.
Fox News Digital also contacted Fairfield University, which declined to comment on either past or current personnel issues.
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