[1][2][3][4] Growing up with a Greek American family in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Lemonis graduated from Socastee High School in 1988.

[6] Lemonis played at first base for The Citadel Bulldogs baseball from 1990 to 1993 under head coaches Chal Port and Fred Jordan, including an appearance in the 1990 College World Series.

[4][1][7] A two-time All-Southern Conference second team selection in 1991 and 1993, Lemonis hit .367 with 10 home runs and 66 RBI as a senior in 1993.

[4][1] With Lemonis on staff, The Citadel appeared in the NCAA tournament five times and produced seven All-Americans.

[8] On June 30, 2006, Lemonis joined fellow Citadel alum Dan McDonnell at Louisville as an assistant coach.

[1] On July 24, 2014, Lemonis got his first head coaching job at Indiana, a rising program with two straight Big Ten Conference championships and a College World Series appearance in the previous two seasons.

Lemonis and the Hoosiers would be invited to the Big Ten tournament where they would eventually lose to Maryland, in the second round.

Lemonis' Hoosiers would then be selected to play in the 2018 NCAA tournament, beginning in the Austin Regional.

[16][17][18] In his first season in 2019, Lemonis led Mississippi State to a 52–15 record and College World Series appearance.