Boise State University has been involved in several scandals, including NCAA recruiting violations, a lawsuit over a coffee shop, and a volleyball match forfeiture.
NCAA recruiting violations
The former head and assistant men's tennis coaches at Boise State were found to have violated NCAA recruiting rules. The assistant coach recruited students who were not in the NCAA Transfer Portal, and the head coach failed to monitor his assistant.
Big City Coffee lawsuit
In 2020, Boise State administrators pushed Big City Coffee owner Sarah Jo Fendley to close her campus coffee shop. Fendley claimed this was due to student protests of her support for law enforcement. Fendley won a $4 million lawsuit against the university, including $3 million for business losses and emotional distress.
Volleyball match forfeiture
Boise State forfeited a volleyball match against San José State University in 2024. The forfeiture made national headlines and put the university in the middle of a debate over transgender athletics.
Christian nationalist website
A Boise State professor used his work email to create a far-right Christian nationalist website called Action Idaho. The website contained conspiracy theories and anti-LGBTQ+ content.
