Tarkanian Sues UNLV for Unspecified Damages

Jerry Tarkanian, former basketball coach at Nevada Las Vegas, is suing university officials, alleging they conspired with NCAA investigators to ruin his college career.

The suit, filed last Friday in state District Court, named UNLV President Bob Maxson, legal counsel Brad Booke and former athletic director Dennis Finfrock as defendants.

Also named were UNLV, the university system and nine members of the Board of Regents. The NCAA, mentioned prominently in the suit, is not a defendant.

Unspecified compensatory and punitive damages are being sought.

Tarkanian, 63, filed suit against the NCAA in December, 1992, several months after he resigned amid allegations that Rebel players had been associating with known sports-fixer Richard Perry.

UNLV won a national championship in 1990. Tarkanian ended his 19-year career at UNLV after the 1991-92 season. The NCAA suit, which alleges a 20-year conspiracy to drive Tarkanian from college basketball, will probably be combined with the UNLV suit, which has been assigned to District Judge John McGroarty.

The UNLV suit alleges university officials breached Tarkanian’s employment contract and 1991 resignation agreement, harmed lucrative contracts he held outside the university, hurt his overall economic well-being and libeled him in the media and the community.

The suit also charges UNLV officials with inflicting emotional and physical distress upon Tarkanian and his wife, Lois, who joined her husband as a plaintiff in the suit.

Tarkanian was unavailable for comment.

The NCAA Infractions Committee is scheduled to consider the UNLV case this weekend at a meeting in Denver.