Elle Patterson, a former volleyball player at San Jose State University (SJSU), has spoken out regarding her experience with alleged scholarship misrepresentation by her coach, Todd Kress. Patterson initially committed to Fairfield University on a full volleyball scholarship but followed Kress to SJSU when he accepted a coaching position there. She claims that Kress assured her of a full scholarship at SJSU, but her family ended up paying for her first year of college. Patterson stated that she was told her scholarship would not cover her first year but would be available for the subsequent three years. However, she alleges that she never received the promised scholarship and was left as a non-scholarship player during her freshman year.
In 2023, Patterson found herself competing for playing time with junior Blaire Fleming, who she later learned was transgender. Patterson expressed feelings of betrayal regarding the situation and described Kress's coaching style as detrimental to her and other players. According to findings from a Title IX investigation by the U.S. Department of Education, Patterson lost her scholarship due to an injury, while Fleming retained his despite missing more games. Patterson has since transferred to Indiana University, Indianapolis, where she has become a regular starter. She is also a plaintiff in a lawsuit against SJSU and the California State University system, which is currently awaiting a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court on related cases involving transgender athletes in women's sports.
