Jordan Lucas' comfort on the volleyball court is nothing new. His signature flair can be traced back to high school, where he was already openly gay and a formidable presence on the court. Even then, college scouts were lining up to recruit him, but their praise was often accompanied by the same feedback.
“Being a younger person who's still trying to find who they were at 16, 17 years old was really difficult because it's like, what do you mean that I can perform just as well as the straight people in men's volleyball, but you don't like the way that I carry myself?” Lucas recalled.
The viral star of Cal State University Northridge men’s volleyball team, known for his diva hair flips, sassy waves, and runway-worthy strut, Lucas has sashayed onto every court like he owns it, and the rest of us are merely visitors. For Lucas, his confidence has also come with critiques that feel less about sportsmanship and more about gender expression.
"What I am doing and the theatrics and the 'antics' is right and okay because it's the same thing that is happening on the other side of the court, but just in a more masculine way,” he said. The consistent criticism of his celebration style and on-court mannerisms became motivation. Rather than shrinking himself to fit the expectations of masculinity in the game, he doubled down and committed to being fully himself.
“And that was one thing that I told myself, if you don't want me, that's fine. I'll just make you pay later in life, on the volleyball court. And I feel like I've done that and I've been able to successfully be someone who can inspire younger queer athletes just to be themselves,” he said.
The representation Lucas provides as a proud, openly gay college athlete is especially meaningful in a sports landscape where out LGBTQ+ athletes remain significantly underrepresented — particularly in men's sports. A 2023 study of NCAA athletes found that more than one in seven athletes identified as LGBTQ+, representing an estimated 78,000 athletes nationwide. Yet among LGBTQ+ athletes surveyed, only about one-third said they were openly out to both teammates and coaches, while another third said they were not out at all. And out athletes are virtually nonexistent in men's professional leagues; Outsports reported that in 2024, none of the 4,592 athletes on active rosters across America's five major men's professional sports leagues were openly gay or bisexual.
Lucas' commitment to authenticity has earned him fans both in the stands and online, bringing more visibility to Cal State Northridge’s program and to volleyball as a whole. Many have tried to describe his post-play celebration energy, but perhaps the most unexpected inspiration behind Lucas’ signature flair is RuPaul's Drag Race.
"I've been watching that show since about 2018, and I started playing volleyball in 2017, so I get just a lot of inspiration from that show and all of the amazing queens that have came out of it," Lucas says. "I watch it all the time, and I think it's so inspiring and so cool what these queens are able to do and what RuPaul and the platform that he's given them to now really shine at this mainstream level.”
One thing is clear: Lucas is having the time of his life on the court, bringing his femininity and explosive talent to every game alongside a level of dedication you can see in every spike.
“I think it's so fun, and why people have really rallied around it, and it's just passion for the game. I have a lot of passion for the game, and that's how I exude it.”
That passion became the center of a national conversation in April after former UC Irvine announcer Charlie Brande said he was “amazed Jordan Lucas hasn't been popped by somebody” and described his celebrations as “very distasteful.”
It wasn’t until after the game that Lucas heard the now-viral remarks, and he was left with one immediate, undeniable emotion.
“Shocked. That was the immediate feeling, and it was shock that someone would say that about somebody, regardless, straight, gay, whatever it is that you would say that someone should get physically assaulted on national broadcast television," Lucas says.
The comment reverberated across social media. The backlash was swift. On April 16, Brande was fired and issued a public apology regarding his comments.
In a post on UC Irvine’s men’s volleyball Instagram account, Brande wrote, “I’d like to publicly apologize for my comment on the UC IRVINE VS CSUN Broadcast, Thursday, April 9. Most importantly, I apologize to Jordan, I wholeheartedly regret my comment towards him. I take full accountability for my comment and the damage it may have caused. Violence should never be acceptable or tolerated.”
When the apology reached Lucas, he received it with grace, though not without notes.
“I'm willing to accept it. And I feel like everyone should accept apologies at some point, because I think people deserve a chance to apologize. And I will say that the way he did it was interesting, in my opinion. Him not saying it and having UC Irvine athletics say it on his behalf was an interesting take, but I'm happy that he had the ability to reflect on what he said and draft the apology.”
Following the controversy, Lucas has seen an outpouring of support from professional athletes, celebrities, and a rapidly growing fandom of supporters online.
“It was amazing just to see the support not only from people in volleyball and the volleyball world community, but now that it's kind of spread outside of the volleyball community and into the real world and mainstream media, which I think is super cool because, as someone who is a part of the LGBTQ+ community, you don't see that much representation, especially in sports.” Lucas shared.
So what’s next for Jordan Lucas? He is officially a CSUN graduate and is currently weighing his options.
“I have another year of eligibility left, so I will be taking that. I do not know where yet. I may come back to Cal State Northridge. I may pursue other opportunities. But my post-college plans are I'm going to try and ride this influencer wave for as long as I can, because I'm starting to realize it's kind of lucrative,” Lucas confessed.
No matter where he plays next, Lucas hopes younger queer athletes see his story and feel empowered to show up as their authentic selves.
