St. Bonaventure coach Jan van Breda Kolff told ESPN.com on Saturday night that he encouraged his players last week to finish out their season, and that he will not resign and intends to coach the team next season.

St. Bonaventure players on Tuesday decided against playing the remaining two games of the regular season after being told by the Atlantic 10 that the program must forfeit six league victories and was banned from the conference tournament for using an ineligible player.

The Bonnies forfeited Wednesday's game at Massachusetts and Saturday's home finale against Dayton.

Van Breda Kolff said the team will hold an on-campus meeting Sunday night after the players return from spring break to discuss the scandal that has rocked the school.

But the question remains: How did van Breda Kolff allow his players to walk out on the rest of the season?

"I said we have to play but they said they need to hear it from the administration as to why this was happening," van Breda Kolff said. "It was spring break and we (the staff) were making phone calls trying to get a hold of people to tell them what the situation was. Everyone said, 'Well, you could have picked up five guys from intramurals,' but there was no one on campus. It was spring break."

Van Breda Kolff said he has been in continual contact with players and their parents, trying to help them through a difficult situation and, at the same time, repair the university's damaged image. He said he has been in the office working every day and recruiting, as well.

The St. Bonaventure Board of Trustees is meeting Sunday at an undisclosed location and they are expected to deal with the job status of school president Robert Wickenheiser. The job status of van Breda Kolff and St. Bonaventure athletic director Gothard Lane could also be discussed. But a source said Sunday night that no one has asked for van Breda Kolff's resignation.

"I look forward to the opportunity to see them grow as people and players and become a better team,'' van Breda Kolff said. "Obviously we've got some difficult challenges ahead. There will be a lot of tough days and I look forward to working through those tough times and being out there.''

Van Breda Kolff was guarded in what he would say but gave a little insight into what occurred last Monday night on campus. He said he told the team on Feb. 26 that Jamil Terrell wouldn't play against George Washington because the school and the NCAA were investigating his eligibility. He said the team then learned of the sanctions four or five days later from a school spokesperson.

The players apparently wanted to hear that they were out of the A-10 tournament from the school hierarchy -- not just van Breda Kolff and a spokesperson. He said that other people on campus told the players that the coaches knew about the sanctions well beforehand but didn't tell them.

"But that wasn't the case, we had no knowledge," van Breda Kolff said. "The players felt betrayed. It was very awkward."

While he has remained in the background since his team quit, van Breda Kolff said lies have been told and his name and reputation have been slandered throughout this process. He said he has never had an NCAA violation in 17 years of coaching.

"The truth will all come out," van Breda Kolff said. "The only concern is for our players and what they're going through and how to deal with the situation. It's a very difficult life lesson to have gone through at such a young age. They'll grow from it and be better for it and I'll help them with that process."

Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.