University of South Florida Women's Basketball

Fernandez quickly created a culture of excellence after taking the helm in November of 2000.  Entering his 17th season as head coach, Fernandez is primed for another record-breaking season. The Bulls enter 2016 ranked in the AP Poll for 22-consecutive weeks and ended the 2015-16 season in the top-25 for the second straight year. Along with coaching the programs first All-American, Fernandez lifted the team to new heights in 2015-16 and achieved the highest ranking in program history, No. 15 in both the AP and USA Today coaches polls. USF made its 12th postseason run in 13 seasons and its fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.  Fernandez, who was officially named head coach on Nov. 14, 2000 - just seven months after coming to USF - has led the Bulls in an amazing turnaround in a short period of time. Under his guidance, USF has advanced to 12 postseason tournaments, including four NCAA Tournament berths, one of which being the programs first-ever NCAA Tournament during the 2005-06 season. Fernandez also led USF to its first-ever NCAA Tournament victory with a 71-70 win over Texas Tech in 2013, and won again vs. LSU in the first round of the 2015 NCAA Tourney. In his third NCAA Tournament in four years, Fernandez took the Bulls back to the second round, defeating No. 22 Colorado State 48-45 in Los Angeles, Calif.  The Miami native has had 11 seasons with a .500 record or better after the Bulls had recorded just three winning seasons, all 14-13 slates, in 22 years prior to his arrival. He also guided USF to seven seasons with 20+ wins - 21-11 in 2004-05, 21-12 in 2006-07, 27-10 in 2008-09, 22-11 in 2012-13, 23-13 in 2013-14, 27-8 in 2014-15 and 24-10 in 2015-16. In 16 years at USF, Fernandez became the all-time winningest basketball coach (mens or womens) in school history with a program record of 285 wins. Fernandez adds a 2009 WNIT championship to his resume as well, and took the Bulls to the 2014 WNIT Final Four, becoming the winningest coach in the WNIT with 13 wins. The Bulls had a season to remember in 2015-16, returning to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in four years. The graduating senior class left Tampa Bay as the only class to make a postseason tournament four times, and back-to-back trips to the American Athletic Conference Championship. Fernandez coached the programs first WBCA All-American, Courtney Williams, and the second-highest drafted Bull in USF Athletics history. Williams was selected No. 8 in the WNBA draft by the Phoenix Mercury. Fernandez also guided Kitija Laksa to the programs second conference Freshman of the Year honor. Laksa was named the American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year after an amazing debut with the Bulls. Fernandez posted his and the programs sixth 20-win season (and third consecutive) in 2014-15, making history with two Top 25 rankings in the AP Poll en route to the best record in school history, 27-8. Fernandez and the Bulls reached a conference championship for the first time in school history, grabbed the best NCAA Tournament seed in school history as a sixth seed, and hosted the first and second rounds for the first time in school history. Fernandez coached an All-Region player for the third time in three years, and coached Courtney Williams to become one of the 12 Wade Trophy Finalists in the nation. Williams, a senior in 2015-16, is projected to become the fourth of Fernandez players to be drafted to the WNBA in the last seven seasons, and third in the last four. USF just missed the NCAA Tournament in 2013-14, losing to only Louisville and UConn in January, February and March before making a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. Fernandez came one game shy of playing for his second WNIT Championship as the Bulls fell to Rutgers at home April 2 on the heels of an in-game injury to the Bulls' point guard. The 23-13 season went down as a major success, setting the stage for the 2014-15 run. Inga Orekhova became the highest collegiate draft pick in USF history, going 18th overall to the Atlanta Dream. The 2012-13 season helped USF turn a corner in the eyes of the nation. The Bulls made just their second NCAA Tournament appearance, earning a berth with 21 regular-season wins, including back-to-back wins over No. 12 Louisville on the road and No. 21 Syracuse at home. The Bulls traveled to Texas Tech in the first round and defeated the Red Raiders 71-70 for their first ever NCAA Tournament victory, then lost to eventual Final Four team California in overtime, after a thrilling second-half comeback. Fernandez was the only coach in the nation to play all four Final Four teams in 2012-13, defeating Louisville, losing to Notre Dame and California in overtime, and also facing UConn in the regular season. Earlier in the year, Coach Fernandez picked up win No. 200 of his career when USF defeated Detroit 74-60. Following the 2012-13 season, Andrea Smith was drafted by the Connecticut Sun, adding to the trail of post-college success Fernandez players have enjoyed. USF just missed the NCAA Tournament in 2011-12, as Fernandez guided USF to 19 wins despite having no true home games as the Sun Dome underwent renovations. Fernandez team advanced to the third round of the WNIT Tournament before falling to James Madison. The 2008-09 season was a season that would make people sit up and take notice, as Fernandez guided the Bulls to their most successful campaign in its history. USF would register a school-record 27 wins while also finishing at least .500 (8-8) for the third time in the programs four years in the BIG EAST Conference. The Bulls logged plenty of regular season highlights, including a second-place finish in the Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. with wins over Iowa, in overtime, and Texas Tech. The only loss during the event would come at the hands of No. 3 ranked California. USF also defeated Rutgers on the road for the first time ever, and handed DePaul a crucial setback at the end of the season. After advancing to its sixth-consecutive postseason tournament, the Bulls would the make school history going 5-0 in the WNIT en route to the title. After defeating Florida Gulf Coast in overtime and Southeastern Conference foe Mississippi at home, USF would embark on a three-game, 10-day road odyssey that would begin in western New York with an 80-66 win at St. Bonaventure, then an 82-65 victory at Boston College. The Bulls would then head west to the nations heartland where they would hand Kansas a 75-71 loss in the WNIT finals in front of a record crowd of 16,113 at historic Phog Allen Fieldhouse, capping the best season in the programs history. During the 2007-08 campaign, the Bulls posted a 16-16 record and advanced to their fifth-consecutive postseason event facing Florida Gulf Coast in the WNIT. The year didnt go without its share of thrilling nights as the Green and Gold knocked off No. 25 DePaul, 78-73, and defeated Syracuse in the BIG EAST Tournament first round, 68-67 in overtime, in what was looked at as one of the events most exciting games. The Orange had just dropped out of the Top 25 prior to their loss to the Bulls. During the 2006-07 season Fernandez would once again record several milestones in his and the programs history. On Dec. 28, 2006 with a 77-62 win over Vermont in the first round of the Saint Josephs University Hawk Classic, Fernandez became the womens basketball teams career leader in wins surpassing former Bulls head coach and former Charlotte Sting leader Trudi Lacey. Later in the year he would reach a mark that had been a long time coming when he recorded his 100th career win in the Bulls final win of the season, a 66-49 win over Coppin State on March 19, 2007 in the second round of the WNIT. In addition, that appearance in the WNIT was the programs fourth straight for USF, a first for either basketball program at the school. The 2005-06 season was the season that the Miami native etched his and his programs name in the history books at USF. Although they fell just short of the win total of the previous year, the Bulls recorded a memorable season that was capped off by the team advancing to its first-ever NCAA Tournament. USF was seeded ninth in the Bridgeport Region and faced No. 8 seed Southern Cal at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. On their season-long road to The Big Dance, the Bulls defeated nationally ranked DePaul (79-77 OT) and Notre Dame (68-64 OT). When all of the dust settled, USF boasted a 19-12 record and a 9-7 slate, which was good enough for a share of sixth place in its first year in the BIG EAST Conference. During the 2004-05 campaign, Fernandez guided his program to heights never seen before at USF - at least for the time being. The Bulls recorded their best record in school history at the time (21-11) and also set a new school mark for wins in a season and wins in conference play (9-5). The team also advanced to its second-consecutive postseason WNIT, which included the programs first-ever victory with a win at home over Florida. Fernandez turned the corner with the program during the 2003-04 season, as the Bulls recorded what was, then, the most successful season of his coaching career. The 33rd ranked class included freshmen Jessica Dickson, Nalini Miller and Rachael Sheats, along with junior college transfer Anedra Gilmore. That class also proved to pay dividends, and paid them quickly. Along with this core group of newcomers and veteran returnees, Fernandez helped the Bulls advance to the postseason for the first time in school history when they faced Richmond in the first round of the Womens National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). Fernandez got his start in coaching while working on his associates degree at Miami-Dade CC Kendall - where he earned his degree in 1991. Fernandez served as a student assistant coach for the mens 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. It was at Miami-Dade that Fernandez met Cesar Odio, who not only saw his tremendous potential and hired him as a student assistant, but then promoted him to a full-time assistant coach upon his graduation in 1991. He would stay at Miami-Dade for one season (1991-92) before becoming the assistant boys basketball coach at Miamis Sunset High School (1992-94). Following his two seasons at Sunset, Fernandez and Odio would renew acquaintances when Odio was tabbed head mens basketball coach at Barry University in Miami Shores, FL (1994-96). Fernandez came along as Odios top assistant and immediately established himself as a coach that had a sharp eye for talent and potential. During his brief two-year stay at Barry, Fernandez helped the Buccaneers to consecutive winning seasons, after the program only produced just two in the first 10 years, and a combined 34-21 record. Fernandez entered the world of girls basketball in 1996 when he secured his first head-coaching job at Miamis Lourdes Academy. During his three seasons at Lourdes, Fernandez led the Bobcats to a stellar 83-16 (.838) record and a trip to the state 5A championship game in 1998 where they finished as the runner-up. In addition to his coaching responsibilities at Lourdes, Fernandez established valuable roots among Florida and high school coaches from around the nation as director and founder of the successful Miami Suns AAU program. Fernandez would then break into collegiate womens 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 (1999-00) as the top assistant coach for the Buccaneers. Although it was just one season, Fernandez helped Barry record the second most wins in the programs history as the Buccaneers posted a 22-8 record and the programs second-best slate ever in the Sunshine State Conference at 10-4. The teams 22 wins that season is still just one of three 20-wins campaigns for Barry since the womens basketball team started competing during the 1988-89 season. After earning his stripes in high school basketball and in Division II, Fernandez was named assistant womens basketball coach at USF in April of 2000 and then interim head coach in October of 2000. On December 14, 2000, Fernandez was officially tabbed head coach of the Bulls. It was just the opportunity that he had been waiting for, and frankly deserved. He quickly used his recruiting connections - both in and out of the state of Florida - to help make USF a household name to scholastic players looking to play collegiately. Fernandezs first Division I recruiting class - the 2001-02 class - was ranked No. 36 in America by the All Star Girls Report, the highest ranked class in the history of the womens basketball program. That class provided instant dividends for USF as the Bulls would open the 01-02 campaign 7-0 en route to their first winning season in four years (14-13) after posting a meager 4-24 ledger the previous year. In that seven-game stretch, the Bulls defeated in-state rival and then BIG EAST Conference member Miami before falling to Florida for their first loss of the year. Fernandez followed his original class with a group that was tabbed 40th in America as it entered the 2002-03 campaign, while the 2003-04 class was slated as the 33rd best by the All Star Girls Report. Fernandez believes to be the best you have to play the best, and in his time at USF the team has done just that. The Bulls schedule has included some of the biggest teams in womens basketball. Baylor, Michigan State, LSU, Miami, Florida, Florida State, Indiana, Connecticut (prior to USF joining the BIG EAST), Georgia, Iowa State, Arizona State, Kansas State, UNLV, Duke, Nebraska, Texas and Wake Forest, to name a few, have helped to make up USFs non-conference schedule the past 16 years. The teams 2005-06 slate proved to be the toughest in school history. The Bulls faced eventual Final Four participants No. 7/8 North Carolina, No. 13/15 Michigan State, and No. 3/3 LSU all prior to their conference schedule, their first in the BIG EAST. After graduating from Miami-Dade Kendall, Fernandez earned his bachelors 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 Miamis Coral Reef Senior High School, Southwest Senior High School and Hialeah Middle School. Fernandez and his wife Tonya live in Tampa with their daughters Sydnie, Alex, Taylor, Brianna and Brooke. COMMITTEES SERVED ON Organization Position  WBCA  Conference Captain (BIG EAST)  WBCA  Conference Captain (American Athletic)  BIG EAST  President of Head Coaches  American  President of Head Coaches  State Farm All America  Team Committee Member  USA Top 25  Coaches' Poll Voter  USF Title IX  Committee Member  WBCA  Defensive Player of the Year Award  WBCA  Coach of the Year Award WBCA  Coaches All-America Committee Member  Season  School Position 2000-pres. USF Head Coach Oct. 2000 - Dec. 2000 USF Interim Head Coach April 2000 - Oct. 2000 USF Assistant 1999-2000 Barry Assistant 1996-99 Lourdes Academy Head Coach 1996-99 Miami Suns (AAU) Head Coach 1994-96 Barry (Men) Assistant 1992-94 Sunset HS (Boys) Assistant 1991-92 Miami-Dade CC Kendall (Men) Assistant 1989-91 Miami-Dade CC Kendall (Men) Student Assistant FERNANDEZ MILESTONES First USF Game Nov. 19, 2000 (season opener), at Arizona State, (L) 39-74 First USF Win Nov. 21, 2000, vs. UCF, 67-58 First Conference USA Win Feb. 11, 2001, vs. Southern Miss, 55-52 First BIG EAST Conference Win Dec. 7, 2005, vs. No. 11 DePaul, 79-77 (OT) 100th Career Win March 19, 2007, vs. Coppin State, 66-49 200th Career Win December 31, 2012 vs. Detroit, 74-60 Wins Over Top 25 Teams Jan. 20, 2002, at No. 23 Tulane, 69-64 Feb. 2, 2004, vs. No. 18 TCU, 89-84 (2OT) Dec. 7, 2005, vs. No. 11 DePaul, 79-77 (OT) Jan. 28, 2006, at No. 21 Notre Dame, 68-64 (OT) Jan. 16, 2007, vs. No. 15 Louisville, 74-58 Feb. 25, 2008, vs. No. 25 DePaul, 78-73 Feb. 20, 2013, at No. 12/11 Louisville, 73-62 Feb. 25, 2013, vs. No. 21/18 Syracuse, 68-66 Mar. 19, 2016, vs. No. 22 Colorado State, 48-45 FERNANDEZ FACTS EDUCATION Florida International University, 1994    B.S., physical education PERSONAL Named Head Coach: Nov. 14, 2000 Born: Nov. 18, 1971, in Miami, Fla. High School: Miami Southwest Senior HS Family: Wife, Tonya, Daughters, Sydnie, Alex, Taylor, Brianna and Brooke

Woods-Baxter) during that 2004-05 season while also recording their best home record since the 1985-86 season (12-2) and a perfect 9-0 slate at home against Northeast Conference (NEC) foe's. Woods-Baxter would then lead the Hawks to back-to-back winning seasons from 2005-07 including posting an 18-13 record during 2006-07. Those 18 wins equaled the most wins in a season since the 1987-88 campaign. Under her tutelage as head coach, Monmouth advanced to the NEC Tournament semifinal game in 2006-07 and 2007-08. In addition, the Hawks also enjoyed seven consecutive (2000-07) winning seasons and a top four finish in the NEC in seven out of her eight season's on the staff at Monmouth. Prior to arriving at Monmouth, Baxter served as associate head coach at Tallahassee (Fla.) Community College (TCC) for two season's (1998-2000). At Tallahassee, she was involved in all aspects of recruiting and scouting. During her two-year stay, the Eagles compiled a 50-19 record and finished second in the state both seasons. The squad also finished as Panhandle Conference runner-up in 1999 and 2000. Woods-Baxter got her start in coaching basketball serving as assistant boy's coach at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. for seven season's (1989-96). At Aquinas she was responsible for both the freshmen and junior varsity program's (1989-92) and also assisted the varsity during that time. She also maintained individual weight and skill development programs during the off-season and served as head coach for all off-season leagues and tournament's which included such prestigious events as the Adidas Summer Basketball Championships held in Miami and the Nike Summer League Championships in Fort Lauderdale.   Woods-Baxter also served as head coach of the Gold Coast Raiders, an AAU boy's under-17 program for seven years. While heading up that team, 20 players would move on to play collegiate basketball. A native of Oxford, Mich., Woods-Baxter graduated from St. John Fisher College in Rochester, N.Y., in 1987 with a bachelor's degree in communications and was a member of the Cardinals' volleyball squad.