RENO -- University of Nevada, Reno administrators said they welcome a National Collegiate Athletics Association investigation into infractions by men's golf coach Rich Merritt.

Twenty-six administrators, coaches, former coaches, student-athletes and former student-athletes are expected to meet through Thursday with John Shukie, the assistant director of agent, gambling and amateurism activities at the NCAA, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported Monday.

The interviews will help determine whether Nevada or Merritt will face any further punishment beyond the school's self-imposed sanctions last fall, when the university determined that Merritt had provided free meals and a frequent-flier airline ticket to players on the men's and women's golf teams.

In a whistle-blower letter sent last fall, fired women's soccer coach Terri Patraw alleged that a coach, later identified as Merritt, provided the benefits, gambled on sports at local casinos, provided cash incentives to players and paid a player to eat a teammate's regurgitated food, all of which are NCAA violations.

The university contacted the NCAA and then conducted an internal investigation, headed by Sandie Niedergall, the director of compliance.

Athletic director Cary Groth said no evidence of gambling or cash incentives was found, and Merritt received a three-match suspension last fall -- one more than the NCAA suggested -- for the free-meals and airline-ticket violations.

``The NCAA doesn't tell you what type of punishment you should hand out,'' Groth said. ``They only tell you what other schools do. We took a harsher road with Rich Merritt because of our commitment to compliance.''

Patraw alleges that she was fired for reporting such violations. She is suing the university for job reinstatement.

Groth and Merritt both said they welcomed the investigation.

``I've been instructed not to say anything,'' Merritt told the newspaper. ``I welcome the NCAA coming out.''

Groth said she welcomes the investigation.

``I'm looking at this as a positive visit,'' Groth said. ``If they find anything, we're comfortable with it, we'll deal with it. It will make us better in the end."

``I'm not nervous about them coming out, I'm not afraid. I'm actually happy they're coming.''