Patterson originally committed to Fairfield on a full scholarship for women's volleyball.But then she found out the coach who recruited her, Todd Kress, was leaving Fairfield to take the job at San Jose State.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMPatterson was then already looking to find a new place to play now that the coach who recruited her was switching jobs.Then Kress came calling with a similar offer that made her choose Fairfield to begin with."I had a phone call with Todd and he said, 'yes, it will be a full ride again,'" Patterson told Fox News Digital of why she decided to follow Kress to San Jose.Elle Patterson and Todd Kress pose together in a photo.
(Courtesy of Elle Patterson, Getty Images)"I was an out of state kid, so I didn't want to have to be paying a lot for my school when I went somewhere to get it paid for.So he confirmed that to me verbally."But she claims she never saw a single penny of that scholarship.
Instead, she says her family paid out of pocket for one full year, while Patterson played a back-up role behind a trans athlete in her freshman season.She said her family was "not prepared" to take on that financial burden at the time, because she had three siblings they also had to provide for.But they found a way to make it work, believing the scholarship would go into effect the next year.FORMER SJSU VOLLEYBALL STAR OPENS UP ON LIVING WITH TRANS TEAMMATE WITHOUT KNOWING ATHLETE'S BIOLOGICAL SEXShe claims she was told by Kress, "We will not be covering your first year.
But we will be covering your last three."Patterson agreed in the moment.And then once the first year passed, she never ended up getting the scholarship for those last three years, she claims.In 2023, as a true freshman, right out of high school, Patterson found herself suddenly as a non-scholarship backup, rehabbing an injury and sharing playing time at right-side hitter with junior Blaire Fleming.At the time, she didn't even know Fleming was transgender.
Pat...