At the same time Monday, the officer rejected the university's request to dismiss Terri Patraw's administrative whistleblower complaint filed with the Nevada Department of Personnel. A hearing on the complaint is set for Jan. 17.

Patraw contends her August firing was in retaliation for reporting NCAA rules violations about university athletic programs. She's seeking reinstatement to her former job.

"We're delighted that the hearing officer denied the motion to dismiss the complaint and gave us the green light to proceed," Patraw lawyer Jeffrey Dickerson told the Reno Gazette-Journal. "The ruling told us that if the hearing officer accepts everything in the complaint as true, we have a winnable case."

Patraw, who led the Wolf Pack women's soccer team to its best record and first NCAA tournament appearance in 2006, said she was given no reason for her firing.

Charles Hilsabeck, lawyer for the university, declined to comment on the whistleblower complaint or on a related lawsuit filed by Patraw against the university system, Athletic Director Cary Groth and university president Milton Glick.

Hilsabeck said university policy is not to comment on personnel matters.

In the whistleblower complaint and lawsuit, Patraw alleges she was fired after she complained about alleged NCAA violations at Nevada.

Her complaint also claims that Patraw made sexual harassment complaints to university officials in 2006 but provides no details.

The complaint accuses the Nevada golf coach of gambling on college sports, providing money to players and giving one of his personal frequent flier tickets to a player.

The complaint also alleges improper use of locker rooms and athletic fields, and "payment of fees for extended studies for soccer camps."

Golf coach Rich Merritt declined to comment.

Merritt missed the Wolf Pack's first three tournaments this fall due to a suspension for NCAA violations.

Groth said Merritt's violations stemmed from buying a meal for a player and giving a player a plane ticket. She said no evidence was found that Merritt had bet on college games.