NCAA softball player Kendall Kotzmacher stated she experienced verbal harassment from a pro-transgender counterprotester at a rally for WNBA player Sophie Cunningham in Minneapolis on Sunday. Kotzmacher, who returned to her home state of Minnesota for the event, said the counterprotester, who had a megaphone, directed insults at her and her group, including a comment that she "should have been aborted."
Kotzmacher, who is set to play for Colorado Christian University, attended the rally alongside other activists, including Riley Gaines and Michelle Tafoya. She told Fox News Digital that this was the first time she had encountered such hostility in person, although she has received hostile messages online after speaking about competing against transgender athletes. "At this point, I’m kind of used to it, but it was definitely weird for them to be able to hear it and be like, ‘Oh, people are actually like this,’" she said.
The confrontation allegedly escalated when a male bystander began pushing people, while police officers present reportedly did not intervene, according to Kotzmacher. She and her family took precautions, including parking near the arena and avoiding walking alone, but she felt safer once she joined the larger group of rally attendees.
Another activist present, Amy Sousa, reported a different interaction, claiming she had a civil conversation with a counterprotester. Sousa stated that after explaining her position as a Democrat supporting women and girls on the basis of sex, the counterprotester admitted it was "a little bit different" than what she had believed.
Despite the confrontations, Kotzmacher said many attendees privately expressed support for the rally's message, complimenting their shirts and acknowledging their cause. She suggested that media coverage focused disproportionately on the opposition.
Inside the Target Center, where the WNBA game took place, dueling demonstrations continued. Cunningham was reportedly booed when she touched the ball, while fans wearing pro-transgender apparel were visible. Kotzmacher alleged that the arena's video board repeatedly featured fans with pro-transgender messages and reactions to boos, while not highlighting supporters of Cunningham.
Once inside the arena, Kotzmacher noted that the atmosphere became more welcoming, with fans offering praise and asking for photos with Gaines. However, hostility reportedly resurfaced after the game, with some individuals taunting Kotzmacher's group about the Lynx's loss and Cunningham's performance.
Kotzmacher recalled her final high school softball game, a championship loss to a team with a transgender pitcher, an experience that has fueled her advocacy. She has since spoken publicly about her experiences and signed an NIL deal. Kotzmacher plans to continue advocating for women's sports as she resumes her college softball career.