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Fernandez Focused On NCAA Berth

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By BRETT McMURPHY

bmcmurphy@tampatrib.com

Published: December 17, 2008

TAMPA - Eight years ago Sunday, Jose Fernandez, then a 28-year-old first-year University of South Florida women's basketball assistant, was promoted from interim to head coach.

It was an unexpected opportunity for Fernandez, but almost certain coaching suicide. He would be taking over a downtrodden program with only three winning seasons in 28 years that was embroiled in racial discrimination allegations against its former coach.

Two days before USF's 2000 season opener at Arizona State, Fernandez was named interim coach. The Bulls lost by 35. It would get worse.

Fernandez persevered, and the unthinkable happened three years later: the Bulls reached the 2004 NIT. That started a string of five consecutive postseason trips - four NITs and their first NCAA Tournament berth in 2006.

In a little more than five seasons since the first NIT trip, Fernandez is 99-67 (.596 winning percentage). In USF's previous 10 seasons, the Bulls were 99-174 (.363).

The Bulls are no longer the laughingstock of Conference USA. This week, the Bulls (8-1) are the nation's second-highest scoring team and one of seven Big East programs receiving votes in The Associated Press poll.

"He's gotten off to a very nice start this year," USF athletic director Doug Woolard said. "He's done a good job scheduling, too. He's played some difficult teams on the road that can be beneficial from an RPI standpoint later in the year.

"It's a long season, but he's gotten off to a good start."

Despite Fernandez's success - he is only four victories from passing Bobby Paschal as USF's winningest men's or women's basketball coach - his contract expires after the 2009-10 season.

"We have a continuing partnership and agreement, and I think it's a good thing for both of us," said Woolard, who added he didn't think it was a disadvantage for Fernandez to recruit with less than two years left on his contract.

Fernandez didn't want to comment about his contract.

"Our goal every year is the same: to get to the NCAAs," Fernandez said. "That's all my staff, team and I have talked about."

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