NCAA softball player Kendall Kotzmacher reports death threat over women's sports activism Colorado Christian softball player Kendall Kotzmacher says she reported a threat to come to her school and kill her amid backlash over her advocacy against transgender athletes in women's sports, with online targeting spreading to her teammates. Colorado Christian softball player Kendall Kotzmacher says she reported a threat to come to her college and kill her amid backlash over her advocacy against transgender athletes competing in girls and women's sports. She said online targeting has also spread to her teammates. Kotzmacher said the threat was one of many disturbing messages she has received. I had a person say that they were gonna come to the school and kill me. That one was a little scary, she said.Kendall Kotzmacher Reports Threats and Hostile MessagesShe reported the threat to her school and documented other concerning messages over the summer. Asked whether anyone had been arrested, she said no. She described a steady stream of hostile messages. I have been getting a lot of people telling me to go kill myself or that I do not deserve to be alive or that I should die, a bunch of stuff like that, which has been really difficult to hear, Kotzmacher said.Knowing that strangers can identify where she attends college has added to her fear. I think people knowing where I go to school has been a little bit scary just because I never know if someone is going to show up or what is going to go on, she said. The backlash has also left Kotzmacher concerned about teammates who publicly support her.She said one person replied to teammates comments on her social media posts, visited their accounts and looked up their names and statistics. I think I want to protect them as much as possible, she said. So trying to make sure that they are not getting any of the backlash and that it is kind of just on me has been a focus of mine.Kotzmacher said she offered in the team group chat to remove their names from her social media and make clear they were not involved in her advocacy. Her teammates rejected the offer. And they are like, absolutely not. Like, we are in this together.Teammates Stand With Kotzmacher Amid Transgender Sports BacklashWe are going to be supportive of you, Kotzmacher recalled. Like, we are all here for you, which has been so refreshing to hear because I did not really get that last year. Kotzmacher, a sophomore catcher and infielder who previously attended Western Michigan University, transferred this past summer. In her September Fox News op-ed, she attributed her transfer from Western Michigan to a lack of coaching support and pressure in coursework.White Bear Lake High School lost 3-2 to Champlin Park in the 2025 Minnesota Class AAAA state semifinals. Champlin Park, whose team included a transgender pitcher, subsequently won the championship. Kotzmacher helped put White Bear Lake into that semifinal, hitting a seventh-inning, two-run home run in a 3-1 quarterfinal victory over Farmington. She practices four days a week and attends classes daily, she said, while trying to find time for advocacy that has taken her to Washington.When I went to DC, it was really hard to miss class and go do something so important and work for these females. And then come back on Monday and go to school like any other day, Kotzmacher said. She appeared at a Capitol Hill news conference following a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on fairness, opportunity and safety for female athletes.Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing Witnesses on Female Athletes SafetyThe hearing listed three witnesses: ICONS co-founder Kim Jones, former professional soccer player Carly Smolak and attorney William Bock III. Democrats called no witnesses. Sens. Dick Durbin and Amy Klobuchar attended portions of the hearing before leaving.Durbin argued that lawmakers should address other problems facing children and female athletes and raised concerns about invasive examinations to enforce sports restrictions. Even if they do not agree with it, just sit in and listen. Like, listen to these real stories from these real girls that this happened to, Kotzmacher said. Kotzmacher also has support from Michelle Tafoya, who faces Democratic Lt.Gov. Peggy Flanagan for the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Tina Smith. Tafoya has made restrictions on transgender participation in female sports part of her campaign.Kotzmacher Receives Courage Wins Recognition for Advocacy StanceI mean, I have talked to Michelle a lot. She has been super supportive of everything. We are pretty close, Kotzmacher said. XX-XY Athletics announced Kotzmacher's Courage Wins recognition in an Oct. 2 statement.The program honors female athletes who take consequential stands for fairness, opportunity or safety and provides financial support and access to leadership programming. I have lost a lot of friends. A lot of people will not speak to me anymore, she said. It is just good to be noticed.