Jose Fernandez (basketball)

Jose Fernandez (basketball)

Jose Luis Fernandez (born November 18, 1971) is an American professional basketball coach who is the head coach of the Dallas Wings of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). He previously served as the head coach of the South Florida Bulls women's basketball team from 2000 to 2025.

Coaching career

Early coaching career (1991–2000)

Fernandez started in coaching while working on his associate degree at Miami-Dade CC Kendall, where he earned his degree in 1991. Fernandez served as a student assistant coach for the men's basketball team and was immediately thrown into the fray with on-floor coaching, scouting, and most importantly, overseeing recruiting correspondence and getting his name out in front of coaches around the state.

At Miami-Dade that Fernandez met Cesar Odio, who not only saw his potential and hired him as a student assistant but also promoted him to a full-time assistant coach in 1991. Fernandez stayed at Miami-Dade for one season (1991–92) before becoming the assistant boys’ basketball coach at Miami's Sunset High School from 1992 until 1994.

Following his two seasons at Sunset, Fernandez and Odio renewed acquaintances when Odio was tabbed head men's basketball coach at Barry University in Miami Shores, Florida (1994–1996). Fernandez came along as Odio's top assistant and immediately established himself as a coach who had a sharp eye for talent and potential. During his two-year stay at Barry, Fernandez helped the Buccaneers to consecutive winning seasons, after the program only produced two in the first 10 years, and a combined 34–21 record.

Fernandez began coaching girls’ basketball in 1996, when he secured his first head coaching job at Miami's Lourdes Academy. During his three seasons at Lourdes, Fernandez led the Bobcats to an 83–16 (.838) record and a trip to the state Class 5A championship game in 1998 where they finished as the runner-up. In addition to his coaching responsibilities at Lourdes, Fernandez established roots among high school coaches from around Florida and the nation as director and founder of the successful Miami Suns AAU program.

Fernandez broke into collegiate women's basketball when he returned to Barry for his second of two tours of duty at the school. In his second stint, he served one year (1999–2000) as the top assistant coach for the Buccaneers. Although it was just one season, Fernandez helped Barry record the second-most wins in the program's history as the Buccaneers posted a 22–8 record and the program's second-best slate ever in the Sunshine State Conference at 10–4. The team's 22 wins that season is still just one of three 20-wins campaigns for Barry since the women's basketball team started competing during the 1988–89 season.

After graduating from Miami-Dade Kendall, Fernandez earned his bachelor's degree in physical education in 1994 from Florida International University. Along with his coaching duties at the beginning of his professional career, Fernandez also taught physical education at Miami's Coral Reef Senior High School, Southwest Senior High School and Hialeah Middle School.

Dallas Wings (2026–present)

On October, 27, 2025, Fernandez was named head coach of the Dallas Wings.

Personal life

Jose Fernandez (basketball)

Fernandez and his wife, Tonya, live in Tampa with their daughters, Sydnie, Alex, Taylor, Brianna, and Brooke.

Head coaching record

College

Season	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Postseason
South Florida Bulls (Conference USA) (2000–2005)
2000–01	South Florida	4–24	1–15	14th
2001–02	South Florida	14–13	4–10	T–13th
2002–03	South Florida	7–20	2–12	14th
2003–04	South Florida	14–15	7–7	8th	WNIT First Round
2004–05	South Florida	21–11	9–5	T-5th	WNIT Second Round
South Florida Bulls (Big East Conference) (2005–2013)
2005–06	South Florida	19–12	9–7	T–6th	NCAA First Round
2006–07	South Florida	21–12	9–7	T–8th	WNIT Second Round
2007–08	South Florida	16–16	5–11	T–11th	WNIT First Round
2008–09	South Florida	27–10	8–8	8th	WNIT Champion
2009–10	South Florida	15–16	6–10	T–10th	WNIT First Round
2010–11	South Florida	12–19	3–13	T–13th
2011–12	South Florida	19–16	8–8	9th	WNIT Third Round
2012–13	South Florida	22–11	9–7	T–6th	NCAA Second Round
South Florida Bulls (American Athletic Conference) (2013–2025)
2013–14	South Florida	23–13	13–5	3rd	WNIT Semifinal
2014–15	South Florida	27–8	15–3	2nd	NCAA Second Round
2015–16	South Florida	24–10	14–4	2nd	NCAA Second Round
2016–17	South Florida	24–9	11–5	3rd	NCAA First Round
2017–18	South Florida	26–8	13–3	2nd	NCAA First Round
2018–19	South Florida	19–16	7–9	T-5th	WNIT Second Round
2019–20	South Florida	19–13	10–6	4th	Postseason cancelled due to COVID-19
2020–21	South Florida	19–4	13–2	1st	NCAA Second Round
2021–22	South Florida	24–9	12–3	2nd	NCAA First Round
2022–23	South Florida	27–7	15–1	1st	NCAA Second Round
2023–24	South Florida	19–14	10–8	T–4th
2024–25	South Florida	23–11	13–4	3rd	NCAA First Round
Total:	485–317 (.605)
National champion         Postseason invitational champion         Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion       Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion       Conference tournament champion