USF women’s basketball coach Jose Fernandez now signed through 2029
Ultra-successful USF women’s basketball coach Jose Fernandez, whose contract twice ran out before being renewed earlier in his tenure, has no fear of a third expiration any time this decade.
Fernandez, 51, recently agreed to a two-year contract extension that — in theory — will keep him at the school until 2029.
The extension comes two years after Fernandez — who has led his program to eight NCAA Tournament berths in the last 11 seasons and nine overall — signed a six-year, $4.3 million deal that tops out at $800,000 annually. Under terms of the new agreement, Fernandez still will earn $800,000 in each of the additional two years (not including performance bonuses), though his staff salary pool will increase by $40,000 over that stretch.
His buyout remains at $1 million through June 30, 2026 but drops to $250,000 on July 1, 2028.
“It’s great that (USF’s) administration recognizes the job that we’ve done and the support that we receive, and the continued striving for excellence both in the classroom and on the court,” said Fernandez, who enters the upcoming season with a 443-292 record in 23 years.
“I think that we’ve shown that we have competed in the highest level within our conference, but most important at the national level.”
The Bulls, coming off a 27-7 season that included the program’s second American Athletic Conference regular-season crown, was a significant favorite to repeat as champion in a preseason poll of coaches, receiving 10 of 14 first-place votes. Senior guard Sammie Puisis, the top returning scorer (15.6 points per game), was a preseason first-team selection.
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