Who is Jose Fernandez? What to know about Paige Bueckers’ new coach on the Wings originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Dallas Wings general manager Curt Miller thought he was hiring a known quantity last year when he named former USC and Connecticut Sun assistant Chris Koclanes as the first head coach of the’ Paige Bueckers era.
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Koclanes arrived with a reputation as a defensive specialist. However, after the Wings finished 11th out of 13 WNBA teams in defensive rating in 2025, Miller fired him and reopened the search for a new bench boss in Dallas.
This time around, Miller and the Wings reportedly prioritized experienced candidates. Dallas was among the finalists to land two-time WNBA champion Sandy Brondello, who agreed to take the Toronto Tempo job on Wednesday.
On Thursday, the Wings responded by pivoting to longtime South Florida head coach Jose Fernandez.
Who is Jose Fernandez?
A Miami native, Fernandez took over as head coach of South Florida’s women’s basketball team in 2000. Over a quarter-century in charge, Fernandez transformed the Bulls into one of the most competitive programs in the NCAA.
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Under Fernandez’s stewardship, USF qualified for the NCAA Tournament 10 times and won the WNIT in 2009. He led the Bulls to American Athletic Conference championships in 2021 and 2023, and his 2024/25 Bulls team finished 23-1, losing to Tennessee in the first round of the Tournament. Eight players who worked with Fernandez at USF have played in the WNBA — most notably, Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams, a two-time All-Star and one-half of the Studbudz.
Fernandez, who rang up a 485-317 record at South Florida, follows the path that Karl Smesko (Atlanta) and Lynne Roberts (Los Angeles) laid out last year as an accomplished, highly-respected coach leaving the college ranks and jumping to the WNBA.
Fernandez reportedly was a finalist for the Dallas job last year before the Wings opted to hire Koclanes. Now, the 53-year-old will get his WNBA chance, taking over a young Wings roster that already boasts a generational talent in Bueckers.
