Merritt resigns
Friday, May. 16, 2008 @ 6:24 pm
Wolf Pack men’s golf coach Rich Merritt resigned Thursday after being under investigation from the NCAA for betting on sports.
Merritt was suspended for three matches last season after an investigation revealed he had given no-cost meals to players and provided a free airline ticket to an athlete.
The report also alleged that Merritt paid a women’s golfer to eat the regurgitated food of a teammate.
In a prepared statement released Thursday, Merritt said: “It’s been difficult for me and my family. I feel it’s in the best interest in the program that I move on. I’ve made some errors in judgment that the athletic department was not aware of which negatively impacted the program.”
The accusations came from fired Nevada soccer coach Terri Patraw’s whistleblower complaint filed in August 2007.
An investigation into Merritt’s sports betting found no evidence of Patraw’s allegation.
Athletic Director Cary Groth admitted, in an interview with the Reno Gazette-Journal, that Merritt’s reference to “errors in judgment” had nothing to do with betting on sports.
She also admitted she has no idea when the investigation would be completed.
Associate Athletic Director Cindy Fox will head a national search for Merritt’s replacement.
The Wolf Pack men’s golf team finished fifth in the Western Athletic Conference last season after winning the conference championship in 2007.
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