Martina Navratilova publicly demanded San Jose State University fire volleyball coach Todd Kress after Fox News Digital published a letter from a former Fairfield player alleging an attack in 1998. Navratilova re-shared a post by U.S. Olympic swimmer Nancy Hogshead and wrote, “Fire his a–!” and “This is truly sickening… this coach should have been fired yesterday!”
Navratilova’s public call
Navratilova’s posts amplified a social-media thread from Hogshead that argued sex discrimination can take many forms. The public rebuke from high-profile athletes added pressure on San Jose State and brought renewed attention to the letter Fox News Digital reported receiving on Oct. 24, 2024.
Fox News Digital reached out to SJSU and to Kress for comment. As of publication, the outlet reported no response from Kress, Athletic Director Jeff Konya, or university legal counsel J. Leah Castella.
Allegations and 1998 timeline
Fox News Digital published excerpts of a letter the outlet said it received in October 2024 from a former Fairfield player who wrote that an incident occurred in December 1998 after Fairfield’s loss to Clemson in the NCAA Tournament. The letter describes an alleged encounter in a coach’s hotel room and other conduct the writer said occurred on team trips.
The outlet reported it verified the former player was on Fairfield’s 1998 roster but did not disclose her identity. The account in the letter includes allegations that a coach grabbed and held the player in a hotel room and threatened her; those claims are presented in the source as the writer’s allegations and have not been proven in a public legal or disciplinary proceeding.
Todd Kress
The reporting identifies Todd Kress as the current head coach of San Jose State’s women’s volleyball team. Fox News Digital said emails show SJSU officials acknowledged receipt of the Oct. 24, 2024, complaint, thanked the former player for coming forward and apologized for her experiences.
Despite that correspondence, the outlet reported Kress was never suspended and has continued in his role. The university has declined to comment publicly on current or former personnel matters, according to the source cited below.
SJSU acknowledgments and public records denial
Fox News Digital said it submitted a formal public records request to San Jose State on June 9, 2026, seeking copies of the Oct. 24, 2024 complaint, a Nov. 1 follow-up email and subsequent correspondence from the Title IX office.
On June 22, 2026, the SJSU public records office denied the request, citing privacy exemptions under the California Public Records Act. In a response attributed to university counsel J. Leah Castella, the school wrote the requested communications implicated “substantial privacy interests” and that disclosure would constitute an invasion of privacy outweighing public interest.
The denial letter cited personnel-privacy exemptions and a balancing test. That rationale is presented here as SJSU’s legal position as reported by the outlet; it does not resolve competing public-interest arguments or the underlying allegations in the complaint itself.
Why it matters
Allegations of sexual misconduct by a collegiate coach raise questions about Title IX compliance, institutional oversight and athlete safety. Public pressure from prominent athletes can prompt additional scrutiny and influence whether schools open or reopen inquiries.
Universities must follow Title IX procedures for investigating sex-discrimination claims. Where records are withheld, critics often point to transparency concerns; institutions commonly cite privacy protections and legal exemptions when declining disclosure.
What comes next
Likely next steps include internal review by SJSU’s compliance or Title IX office, possible appeals of the public records denial, and continued public attention driven by athletes and advocates. Fox News Digital reported it has not sought judicial review of the records denial.
Advocates and legal specialists sometimes pursue administrative or legal routes to compel records release or to seek further investigation; the source reporting does not indicate whether such actions have been initiated in this case.
Limits of reporting and verified information
This article is based on reporting by Fox News Digital. The alleged 1998 incident is described in a letter the outlet received, and the identity of the letter writer was not disclosed by Fox News. The university’s statements declining comment on personnel matters and its legal counsel’s records-denial rationale are included as reported by the source.
The claims are presented here as reported allegations; they have not been established through a public legal finding in the source material. Neither SJSU nor Todd Kress provided public responses to the outlet’s inquiries as of the reporting cited below.
Source
Reporting for this story is based on Fox News Digital. Source: Fox News Digital.
FAQ
What are the allegations against Todd Kress?
According to a letter reported by Fox News Digital, a former Fairfield player alleges a 1998 incident in a hotel room and other misconduct on team trips. These are reported allegations and have not been adjudicated in public records cited by the source.
Why did SJSU deny the public records request?
University counsel J. Leah Castella told Fox News Digital the records were withheld under privacy exemptions in the California Public Records Act, saying disclosure would constitute an invasion of privacy that outweighed any public interest, per the source.
Has Todd Kress been suspended or disciplined?
Fox News Digital reported that Kress has not been suspended and has continued serving as SJSU’s women’s volleyball head coach. The university has declined to comment on personnel matters, according to the source.
