Cal Report Says Fired Assistant Coach Admitted To Propositioning Reporter For Sex

The report comes just three days before Cal plays its opening game in the 2016 NCAA Tournament.

The investigation by UC Berkeley did not name the reporter or the company she works for, and concluded that Hufnagel’s conduct over a six-month period constituted harassment. It included sexual text messages and, “was objectively intimidating, hostile or offensive – repeatedly propositioning Complainant for sex and, in some cases, suggesting that her participation in sex with (Hufnagel) would grant her greater access to parts of the sports world in (Hufnagel’s) control.”

The reporter claims that after she blocked Hufnagel’s sexual advances, she was denied access to information she needed to do her job, and that she eventually lost the job as a result. Hufnagel denies withholding information from her. He also allegedly repeatedly asked the reporter to have a “three-way” with him and a friend of his.

The most jarring accusation is an account of what occurred in early 2015, when Hufnagel met the reporter at a bar after she suggested meeting for coffee. When they arrived, she ordered tea, which Hufnagel told investigators made him think she was “the lamest girl ever.”

While elements of the account differ slightly, investigators believed the reporter’s account. She claims she drove Hufnagel home to his apartment complex after he had been drinking, and wound up inside its community parking garage to drop him off. The report gets even more detailed:

"(Hufnagel) directed her to park in a designated spot – an elevator-operated “lift” spot which would have suspended her car above the ground. Complainant said she did not park in the spot and felt (Hufnagel) was attempting to control her ability to leave. She recalled telling (Hufnagel) that she was just going to turn around; to which (Hufnagel) responded, “You’re coming up.” Complainant said she said, “No, I’m going to leave now,” but (Hufnagel) kept insisting. Complainant said she asked (Hufnagel), “Are you thinking that I’m going to have sex with you?” to which (Hufnagel) said, “Yes.” Complainant recalled telling (Hufnagel), “Not going to happen…(redacted)…you and I are professional colleagues…not interested in you.” Complainant noted that at that point the garage door was closed behind them with her car inside and (Hufnagel) indicated that he didn’t intent to let her out of the garage."

When asked by investigators, Hufnagel reportedly admitted to bringing the reporter into his parking garage and asking her to come up to his apartment more than once. He continued, “With all candor, I was trying to trick her into going upstairs.” He added that he believed his conduct was inappropriate (uh, you think?) but that it didn’t constitute harassment.

Hufnagel is 33 and joined Cal’s staff in 2014 after Cuonzo Martin was hired as the school’s head men’s basketball coach.

Hufnagel claims he was blindsided by the investigation’s filings and plans to hire lawyers to clear his name. On Monday he tweeted:

We will keep you apprised of further developments on this story