RENO Nev.
Nevada's former women's soccer coach filed a lawsuit against university officials on Thursday, claiming she was fired in retaliation for complaining about NCAA rules violations and discrimination against her players.
Terri Patraw, who led the Wolf Pack to their best record ever and first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2006, said she was given no reason for her firing in late August.
The lawsuit filed in Washoe County District Court by Reno lawyer Jeffrey Dickerson seeks Patraw's reinstatement and unspecified restitution.
It provides no details of the alleged NCAA violations, discrimination or a claim she also was subjected to sexual harassment.
Nevada athletic director Cary Groth, university president Milton Glick, school lawyer Mary Dugan and the Nevada System of Higher Education are named as defendants.
Patraw complained to an unnamed supervisor "regarding matters of public concern, to include violations of NCAA regulations which govern national collegiate sports," the lawsuit said.
She also complained about "discriminatory treatment against students and players involved in her athletic program," the lawsuit said.
Patraw was "informed and believes that Groth feared that plaintiff had taken or would take these concerns outside" the university, the lawsuit said. "This was, (Patraw) is informed and believes, an additional motivating factor for her termination."
Rhonda Lundin, director of media services for Nevada's athletic department, said she had not seen the lawsuit. She said Groth was attending a function Thursday night and could not be reached immediately for comment.
Officials in the university's communications department did not immediately return telephone messages or e-mails seeking comment Thursday night.
Groth said at the time that Patraw had submitted her resignation over the weekend of Aug. 25-26.
But Patraw said she rescinded the resignation within an hour of submitting it. She told the Reno Gazette-Journal on Aug. 28 that she had been in the midst of contract negotiations and had just been offered a contract extension and raise when Groth fired her.
