USF’s Jose Fernandez named assistant coach for USA women’s basketball
USF women’s basketball head coach Jose Fernandez is set to take the international stage this summer.
USA Basketball named Fernandez an assistant coach for the women’s U18 National Team on Thursday.
Team USA will participate in the 2024 FIBA U18 Women’s AmeriCup from June 17-23.
The tournament takes place during the offseason so he’ll maintain his position with the Bulls.
Fernandez learned about the news last year, he said in a press conference on Thursday.
In 2018, he served as a court coach for the U18 National Team trials.
This summer, he will work alongside Indiana University’s head coach Teri Moren and Notre Dame’s head coach Niele Ivey. Moren will serve as the head coach for the U18 team.
He said it will be an honor to have the opportunity to work with such talented coaches and student athletes.
“You’re gonna be able to learn and hopefully bring back some things that you can adjust to your style,” Fernandez said in a Thursday press conference. “Of course, international basketball is different. How it’s played in FIBA America is different than in FIBA Europe. So I’m looking forward to it.”
Fernandez, 53, has coached the Bulls for 24 seasons and is one of the longest-tenured coaches in collegiate women’s basketball history.
He’s led the team to 10 NCAA tournament appearances and eight in the last ten seasons. Fernandez was named American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2018 and 2021.
Fernandez moved to first all-time in American conference wins en route to leading the Bulls to an AAC regular-season title last year.
This season, he surpassed 450 career wins. He is six away from tying UConn’s Geno Auriemma for the most total wins by an AAC head coach.
The Bulls have a 16-13 record in the 2023-24 season. They are tied for eighth in the American Athletic Conference standings, with an 8-8 record in league play.
They have two games left — against Tulane on Saturday and SMU on March 7.
The Bulls play the Green Wave at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and BullsUnlimited Radio.
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