The University of Hawai'i women's basketball team returned home yesterday with the status of its head coach, Jim Bolla, still up in the air pending an investigation into allegations of a physical confrontation with a player, said people on campus who asked not to be identified because of the ongoing investigation.

Bolla, in his fifth season at UH, remains on paid leave during the investigation.

Athletic director Jim Donovan referred questions about Bolla to Gregg Takayama of the Manoa Chancellor's office, who has declined comment other than to say the coach is on indefinite leave. Takayama has refused to be specific about the terms of the leave or to confirm there is an investigation.

Takayama said he was unable to predict when the matter would be concluded. "There is no timeline on this," Takayama said.

Bolla did not accompany the team on its road trip during losses at Louisiana Tech and New Mexico State. Associate coach Pat Charity handled the team, UH said, and associate athletic director Carl Clapp traveled with the team, according to people with knowledge of the situation.

It was not immediately clear if the complaint was filed by the player involved in the alleged incident or teammates.

People familiar with the situation said the incident in question purportedly took place during practice earlier this season and was only recently reported to school officials. Several players were said to have been interviewed prior to the team's roadtrip and others are expected to be talked to this week.

Bolla was not immediately available for comment yesterday and did not return calls placed earlier.

If the allegations are substantiated, Bolla could face disciplinary action, including termination of a contract that has two years remaining at approximately $120,000 per season. Bolla's original contract, which expired in 2007, was extended through June 30, 2011, by then-athletic director Herman Frazier.

Bolla and at least one of his coaches were the focus of a Manoa investigation last year into allegations of mistreatment of players during his four-year tenure to that point.

UH officials, citing university policy, declined comment on the resolution of charges at the time. But people claiming familiarity with the issue say Bolla received a written warning. Takayama declined comment.

A clause in Bolla's contract says he may be terminated for cause upon 10 days written notice for, "committing material or repeated violations of any provision of this agreement or policies of the university..."

During the previous investigation, point guard Keisha Kanekoa told The Advertiser last summer, "A lot of players don't like him. They don't like his style or the way he goes about things — the way he carries himself. We all talk in the locker room and it's hard to say that anyone is on his side."

But, at the time, Kanekoa also said, "It's all right. My opinion is that he's all right."

Partly in response to player dissatisfaction with Bolla during senior year exit interviews and postseason player evaluations, UH officials reportedly brought in a speaker to talk to coaches about better connecting with their players.

Bolla is 305-138 as a head coach, including 61-75 at UH. Bolla spent 14 years as coach at Nevada-Las Vegas. He was out of basketball for eight years before succeeding Vince Goo at UH in 2004-'05.