Coach Jose Fernandez during the NCAA women's basketball game between the Tennessee Lady Vols and South Florida Bulls. Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Dallas Wings hit home run with Jose Fernandez hire

Originally posted on Dallas Wings on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Oct 25, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The Dallas Wings are ending their head coaching search by hiring longtime South Florida Bulls boss Jose Fernandez.

Fernandez, 54, has been with South Florida since 2000 and is viewed as one of the most respected coaching figures in women's basketball. USF made a statement regarding Fernandez after it was announced that he would be coming to the Wings.

"While this is a bittersweet moment for our program, it is a well-deserved opportunity for Jose to realize a professional dream, and we wish him the best," the statement read.

"Over the past 25 years, Jose has been an exceptional leader, mentor, and advocate for the University of South Florida. Under his direction, USF Women's Basketball has achieved unprecedented success — including four conference championships, 10 NCAA Tournament appearances, 12 20-win seasons, nine seasons earning a Top 25 ranking, and 485 victories.

"His impact on USF Athletics and our university community is profound, and his legacy will be remembered and celebrated for years to come."

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— USF Athletics (@USFAthletics) October 23, 2025

Fernandez leaves USF for Wings

Fernandez comes to the Wings with zero WNBA experience, but he will have several months before he has to coach in a game for Dallas. During that time, he can build a coaching staff that will aid him in his maiden voyage in the league.

Fernandez will have the chance to rebuild the Wings in his image in hopes of getting the team back into the postseason. The Wings have been out of the playoffs for the past two seasons and have bottomed out in the standings, so it will become Fernandez's responsibility to pull them out of it.

Fernandez brings a ton of experience to the table, which is the main thing the Wings wanted in their new coach. Now that he is in the fold, the Wings can march forward in their offseason to try and build a team around Paige Bueckers that can move back into relevancy in the WNBA.

This article first appeared on Dallas Wings on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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