NCAA softball player Kendall Kotzmacher described experiencing intense verbal abuse from pro-trans activists while attending a rally in Minneapolis supporting WNBA player Sophie Cunningham. The rally, one of several held in support of Cunningham's stance on transgender participation in women's sports, saw activists confront Kotzmacher and her group, which included figures like Riley Gaines and Jennifer Sey.
Kotzmacher, who is set to play for Colorado Christian University, told Fox News Digital that the activists, some using megaphones, directed personal insults at her and her family. "At one point, I got told that I should've been aborted when I was younger," Kotzmacher stated. She noted that while she has faced online harassment and threats after speaking out about competing against a transgender athlete in high school, this marked her first experience with in-person aggression.
She characterized the activists' actions as a lack of substantive arguments, saying, "They have no rebuttal to what we're standing for... they just go back to calling us names." The situation escalated, according to Kotzmacher, when counterprotesters approached Riley Gaines, with police reportedly not intervening until a bystander stepped in. The tension was also evident during the Indiana Fever's game against the Minnesota Lynx, where Cunningham was met with boos from the crowd.
Kotzmacher also raised concerns about the arena's jumbotron usage, alleging that it disproportionately featured fans with pro-trans messaging while showcasing boos directed at Cunningham. Despite the external hostility, Kotzmacher asserted that many attendees inside the arena were supportive of their message.
Meanwhile, Riley Gaines reported being asked by WNBA officials to remove a sign supporting Cunningham. Gaines claimed that despite adhering to size regulations and observing other fans with signs, including those with trans-related messages, she was specifically targeted. She was reportedly told the sign, which read "Sophie, Thank You - A Girl Mom," had to be taken down because it included Cunningham's name. Another attendee, Jennifer Sey, corroborated Gaines' account. After an apology from the staffer, Gaines was ultimately permitted to keep her sign. She later posed for a photo with Cunningham, holding the sign.
Cunningham has drawn attention for her public comments advocating for restrictions on transgender athletes competing in women's sports, aiming to "protect young girls in sport."