Oregon softball head coach Rick Gamez resigned Monday after an audit uncovered discrepancies of more than $5,700 in his team’s travel budget, Athletic Director Bill Moos said.
Moos said the discrepancies, discovered two years ago and investigated this summer, arose when team members were forced to sign for money they never received on road trips.
Gamez settled with the University for $26,000, or half his yearly salary, and will reimburse the University for the missing money as part of the settlement. Gamez chose to resign and settle after he was presented with the findings of the audit, Moos said.
“(Gamez) is responsible for his program just like all my coaches,” Moos said in a press conference Monday. “We believe it was his responsibility.”
The investigation, conducted by the secretary of state’s office, delved into the last two seasons but no further.
“We got word of it, and we went through the proper procedures,” Moos said. “An investigation resulted, and we thought the appropriate action was taken.”
Moos said complaints from team members and parents over the last two seasons led to the discovery of the missing funds in the spring of 2000. Moos said he was “comfortable” with the situation after a conversation with Gamez following the 2001 season, but complaints eventually reached the Oregon University System. The OUS then contacted the secretary of state’s office to conduct the investigation.
The secretary of state’s office has yet to release a report, but will do so later this week, Moos said.
Gamez has been Oregon’s head softball coach for five years. He compiled a 168-164-1 record, and guided the Ducks to three postseason appearances in that time. Before Oregon, Gamez coached at New Mexico State, Central Arizona Community College and Glendale College.

“The improvement in our softball program has been very, very good,” Moos said.
Despite the program’s turnaround under Gamez, controversy surrounded the team last season. Senior starting catcher Kelly Planche unceremoniously quit halfway through the season, and the team often refused to practice as bad team chemistry led the Ducks to their first ever 40-loss season. After three straight postseason appearances, Oregon became the only Pacific-10 Conference team to miss the NCAA Tournament last year.
After last year’s debacle, junior Lisa Wangler spoke of the team’s disunity.
“I don’t think it’s going to be that easy to put this behind us,” Wangler said. “All we can do is keep improving and keep learning.”
Then-senior Triawn Custer added a prophetic statement after the 2001 season concluded.
“There’s a lot of talent left on this team,” Custer said. “Whether coach Gamez is here or whether these girls are here, this team still has a lot of potential.”
Moos said he is unsure whether the Athletic Department will hire a new softball coach for the 2002 season. First-year assistant coaches Jennifer Jaime and Brent Rincon will take over as interim coaches until a permanent hiring decision is made.
The softball team has a preseason tournament this weekend, and will continue practicing regularly until the season officially starts next winter.