Former coach turns down $151,000 offer

Tuesday, April 28, 2009 - 1:12 AM

The University of Nevada, Reno offered $151,000 dollars Friday to former Nevada soccer coach Terri Patraw in a move that was deemed strategic by the school.

“Under rules in place we felt it would be in our best interest to make a good-faith offer,” UNR attorney Kent Robison said. “These things get pretty expensive. If she says no, let’s get it on and we’ll get our fees.”

Nevada Supreme Court rules require defendants to make a good-faith effort to end a case before trial in order to recover legal fees after the trial ends, Robison said.

Patraw’s trial is set for May 11 in Washoe District Court. She will argue for monetary compensation for damages UNR has done to her name, Patraw’s attorney Jeffrey Dickerson said.

“We feel the offer is a pretty weak attempt considering what we think the jury verdict will be,” Dickerson said.

The $151,000 would come from the state contingency fund, not UNR or the athletic department, Robison said.

The state contingency fund is made up of taxpayer money. Robison said he made the offer confident that Patraw would turn it down.

“It’s not to shut her up,” Robison said. “No one can shut her up.”

Patraw has legally challenged UNR for more than 18 months after she resigned as the Wolf Pack’s soccer coach in August 2007 in order to negotiate a higher salary.

Patraw then filed a whistle-blower complaint Sept. 11, 2007, alleging she was forced out in retaliation for reporting numerous alleged NCAA violations by officials in Nevada Athletics. She lost the whistleblower complaint in March 2008, but because of new evidence found through discovery the case has reopened, Dickerson said.

Patraw also filed a lawsuit Nov. 8, 2007, saying she was forced out in retaliation for the reporting violations. That case will be presented May 11.

“It’s a little late for anyone to think we are just trying to keep her quiet,” Nevada President Milton Glick said. “So much information has come out. If we had wanted to do that we would have done it a long time ago.