Yanni Hufnagel

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Yanni Hufnagel
Current position
TitleFounder & CEO of The Lemon Perfect Company
Biographical details
Born (1982-08-26) August 26, 1982 (age 39)
New York City, New York
Alma mater
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2007–2009Oklahoma (graduate asst.)
2009–2013Harvard (asst.)
2013–2014Vanderbilt (asst.)
2014–2016California (asst.)
2016–2017Nevada (asst.)

Yanni Hufnagel (born August 26, 1982) is an American entrepreneur, former college basketball coach, and the founder and CEO of The Lemon Perfect Company, maker of Atlanta-based enhanced water brand Lemon Perfect.[1] Before starting Lemon Perfect, he served as an assistant coach of the Nevada Wolf Pack men's basketball team under Eric Musselman.[2]

He previously served as an assistant coach for the California Golden Bears, Vanderbilt Commodores, and Harvard Crimson.[3] Hufnagel was regarded as one of the top recruiters in college basketball.[4]

Early life and education[]

Hufnagel was raised in Scarsdale, New York and is Jewish.[5] He played lacrosse for the Scarsdale High School and was the team captain.[6][7] After he was cut from Scarsdale High School's varsity basketball team, he took on a position as the color commentator for the team's games on a local access cable TV channel.[8][7]

He attended Pennsylvania State University for one year, where he was a defenseman on the lacrosse team.[9][7] Hufnagel then transferred to Cornell University, where he served as a student manager for the Big Red men's basketball team. At Cornell, Hufnagel earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial and Labor Relations in 2006.[9][2]

Hufnagel began his coaching career with the New Jersey Nets, before attending the University of Oklahoma, where he served as a graduate assistant coach for the Sooners men's basketball team. While at Oklahoma, Hufnagel was credited with helping develop Blake Griffin.[10] At Oklahoma, Hufnagel earned a master's degree in Adult and Higher Education with an Emphasis in Intercollegiate Athletics Administration in 2010.[11][9]

Career[]

Coaching[]

Harvard Crimson, Maccabiah Games[]

In June 2009, Hufnagel joined the Harvard Crimson men's basketball program as an assistant coach and recruiter under Tommy Amaker. In 2011, he was voted by his peers in a CBS Sports survey as the mid-major assistant coach most likely to "make it big time due to his recruiting ability."[12] He was named to a CBS Sports college basketball "dream team" of assistant coaches prior to the 2012-13 season and labeled as "one of the most relentless and energetic recruiters in the game."[13] He is also noted for his role in helping to develop Jeremy Lin and Wesley Saunders at Harvard.[14] In Hufnagel’s four years with Harvard, the school went 90-30 and in his final season, Harvard upset New Mexico in the 2013 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament.[2][15]

Hufnagel was appointed to coach the Team USA Youth Team at the 19th Maccabiah Games in Israel, but declined to accept an assistant coaching position with the Vanderbilt Commodores.[16]

Vanderbilt Commodores, California Golden Bears, allegation of sexual harassment, Nevada Wolf Pack[]

In May 2013, Hufnagel joined the Vanderbilt Commodores coaching staff as an assistant coach under Kevin Stallings.[17] He was credited by ESPN with helping Vanderbilt land the 29th-ranked 2014 recruiting class, which included Wade Baldwin IV and Matthew Fisher-Davis.[18][19] After one season, Hufnagel left the program.[20]

In 2014, Hufnagel joined the California Golden Bears coaching staff, led by Cuonzo Martin. Hufnagel is credited with helping persuade Jaylen Brown and Ivan Rabb to join the team. The pair helped lead the Golden Bears to a 2016 NCAA Tournament berth.[21][22]

In 2015, a reporter covering the Golden Bears filed a sexual harassment complaint against Hufnagel, claiming that after she rejected his advances, he ceased giving her information, resulting in her losing her job.[23][24][25][26][27] She claimed that Hufnagel repeatedly propositioned her for a three-way, which she declined. In retaliation, the reporter alleged that he fed her false information.[28] Following an investigation, Hufnagel was fired for violating UC Berkeley's sexual harassment policy.[29]

On April 8, 2016, Hufnagel accepted an assistant coaching position with Eric Musselman and the University of Nevada Wolf Pack men's basketball team. The hire was strongly supported by UNR President, Marc Johnson, who publicly noted that the release of hundreds of texts presented by Hufnagel's attorney should help ease concerns from students and staff about his hire.[30][31] Hufnagel and Nevada mutually parted ways after one season.[32]

Lemon Perfect[]

In December 2017, Hufnagel founded Lemon Perfect, a flavored cold-pressed lemon water brand in the enhanced water category. The company has raised $11.6 million from a network of investors, including Lindsay Gottlieb, Channing Frye, Nick Young, Spencer Dinwiddie, Josh Hart, Kyle Kuzma, Meyers Leonard, and De'Anthony Melton.[33][34] Lemon Perfect was named as one of the "Best New Products" at BevNET's Best of 2019 Awards.[35]

References[]

  1. ^ Coulter, Christina (January 21, 2021). "L.A.-Based Lemon Perfect Relocating To Atlanta". What Now Atlanta. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Yanni Hufnagel; Assistant Coach; Vanderbilt Basketball 2013-14"
  3. ^ Parrish, Gary (April 8, 2016). "Former Cal Assistant Yann Hufnagel is Joining Nevada's Coaching Staff". CBS Sports. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  4. ^ Borzello, Jeff; Finkelstein, Adam (March 2, 2016). "Duke's Jeff Capel Tops CBB Recruiter Rankings". ESPN. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  5. ^ "Meet Yanni Hufnagel, the Jewish Coach on Harvard Basketball's Bench" – Tablet Magazine
  6. ^ Alumni Directory - Scarsdale High School Lacrosse | VNSports
  7. ^ a b c "Turning the (Crimson) tide; Scarsdale grad Yanni Hufnagel is part of historic run at Harvard," The Scarsdale Inquirer.
  8. ^ Roisman, Jon (February 25, 2016). "Talking With an Up-and-coming Basketball Coach". J Weekly. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  9. ^ a b c "Yanni Hufnagel - Harvard"
  10. ^ "Men's Basketball". Harvard. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  11. ^ "Yanni Hufnagel". Nevada Wolf Pack Men's Basketball. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  12. ^ Cohen, Ben (January 17, 2013). "Harvard Basketball's Whiz Kid". Tablet Magazine. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  13. ^ "2012-2013 College Basketball Previews". CBS Sports. October 8, 2012. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  14. ^ "Yanni Hufnagel Joins Cal Men's Basketball Coaching Staff". Cal Bears. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  15. ^ Jones, Lindsay (March 22, 2013). "Harvard Pulls NCAA Tournament Shocker vs. New Mexico". USA Today. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
  16. ^ Thursday News - princeton basketball
  17. ^ "Vandy's Stallings Hires Harvard Assistant Yanni Hufnagel". Boston Herald. May 23, 2013. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  18. ^ "Vanderbilt Men's Basketball Yanni Hufnagel". Vanderbilt. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  19. ^ "2014 Basketball Class Rankings". ESPN. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  20. ^ Thomson, Josh (August 24, 2014). "Star Rising at Cal for Scarsdale's Yanni Hufnagel". The Journal News. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  21. ^ Letourneau, Connor (April 8, 2016). "Cal Basketball Coach Hufnagel, Accused of Harassment, Resigns". SFGATE. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  22. ^ "Cal Meets Hawaii in NCAA Tourney First Round". Cal Athletics. March 13, 2016. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  23. ^ Updated with new documents: Evidence UNR used in support of hiring coach
  24. ^ "Assistant coach Yanni Hufnagel leaves the Wolf Pack"
  25. ^ "Documents and exhibits from University of Nevada call into question some elements of Yann Hufnagel sexual harassment complaint" - Cal - Scout
  26. ^ "Investigation: Ex-Cal coach tried 'to trick' woman". 15 March 2016.
  27. ^ "Fired Cal Coach: Reporter Who Filed Harassment Complaint 'Lamest Girl Ever,' 'A Total Ditz'".
  28. ^ "Fired Cal Coach Who Asked Reporter for Three-Way Gets Nevada Job, Releases Docs Which Prove Nothing".
  29. ^ Grautski, Amara. "Cal men's assistant basketball coach Yann Hufnagel fired for violating sexual harassment policy". nydailynews.com. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
  30. ^ McAndrew, Siobhan (April 18, 2016). "Updated with New Documents:Evidence UNR Used in Support of Hiring Coach". Reno Gazette-Journal. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  31. ^ "Nevada Defends Hire of Ex-Cal Assistant Accused of Sexual Harassment". ESPN. April 15, 2016. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  32. ^ Murray, Chris (March 22, 2017). "Assistant Coach Yanni Hufnagel Leaves the Wolf Pack". Reno Gazette-Journal. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
  33. ^ Taylor, Isaac (August 18, 2020). "Lemon Perfect Raises $6.6 Million to Boost Expansion". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  34. ^ Caballero, Martín (August 18, 2020). "Lemon Perfect Closes Convertible Note, Capping $11.6M Seed Round". BevNet. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  35. ^ "BevNET's Best of 2019 Awards". BevNet. 18 August 2020. Retrieved April 14, 2021.

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