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Sports

Cal Assistant Coach Fired After Reporter Alleges He Sexually Harassed Her

"Hufnagel allegedly made sexual innuendos to her implying, in her words, 'Come have a three-way with me.'"

On Monday, Cal Berkley assistant men's basketball coach Yann Hufnagel was fired after a months-long investigation into allegations he sexually harassed a female reporter. The school's Office for the Prevention of Harassment issued a report finding that Hufnagel violated the university's sexual harassment policy. Head coach Cuonzo Martin fired Hufnagel shortly thereafter. Now, details have emerged that shed some light on the allegations.

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According to the report, which was redacted, Hufnagel sent "sexually harassing communications" to a reporter approximately every two weeks between November 2014 and December 2015, while the reporter simply wanted talk to him for professional reasons. The reporter detailed one exchange from March 2015 "in which Hufnagel allegedly made sexual innuendos to her implying, in her words, 'Come have a three-way with me.'" When she rebuffed his advances, she was frozen out from the team and eventually left her position covering the team.

More, from the San Francisco Chronicle:

The accuser also detailed an interaction with Hufnagel prior to Feb. 23, 2015 that occurred after she had attempted to meet with him for coffee. She claimed that, after Hufnagel insisted they go to a bar, they met at Jupiter in Berkeley, according to a report of the investigation. The complaint continued that, after Hufnagel drank "one or two beers," she drove him to his apartment, where Hufnagel propositioned her for sex.
After rejecting Hufnagel's advances that night, according to the report, the accuser said Hufnagel was no longer willing to provide her with information. She claimed she wasn't able to do her job and, ultimately, stopped covering the team.

According to the report, Hufnagel admitted to trying to woo her, but he also called the allegations a "fruitless claim."

Right now, the only focus should be on our basketball team! My time to exonerate myself of a fruitless claim by a reporter will come.
— Yann Hufnagel (@yhufnagel) March 14, 2016

The sun is coming up! My heart is broken in a billion pieces, but I am not sick. Pray for those that do not have their health.
— Yann Hufnagel (@yhufnagel) March 15, 2016

Hufnagel had been on Cunzo Martin's staff since 2014. Martin, who is preparing his team for their opening game of the NCAA tournament on Friday, only briefly commented on the matter, opting for some inspirational coachspeak: "You continue to push forward. There are always bumps in the road. … It's not an easy thing, but we'll find our way."

[San Francisco Chronicle]