In 1989 a movie screenwriter coined the phrase "If you build it, they will come." The simple mention of this famous movie line clearly identifies its source as the hit movie Field of Dreams.

This phrase could not be more appropriate than in defining USF Head Women's Basketball Coach Jose Fernandez's approach to building the Bulls' program.

Fernandez enters his eighth year at the helm of the "Green and Gold" and in doing so is well into building the foundation for the future success of the Bulls, all while continuing to pull in nationally ranked recruiting classes to the Tampa school on a yearly basis. A tireless worker both on and off the court, Fernandez has certainly made student-athletes sit up and take notice of USF.

The Miami native has used an impressive network of statewide and national contacts to establish some of the highest ranked recruiting classes in school history in his short seven-year head-coaching career. Fernandez’s 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 women's 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 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 finally 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 transfers Anedra Gilmore and Rae Rae Sayles. 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 Women's National Invitation Tournament.

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 (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 program’s first-ever victory with a win at home over Florida.  

The 2005-06 season was the season that the Miami native etched his and his program’s 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 2006-07 season Fernandez would once again record several milestones in his and the program’s history. On Dec. 28, 2006 with a 77-62 win over Vermont in the first round of the Saint Joseph's University Hawk Classic, Fernandez became the women's basketball team's 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 program’s fourth straight for USF, a first for either basketball program at the school. 

Fernandez is also of the impression that to be the best you have to play the best, and in his time at USF, the Bulls’ schedule has included some of the biggest teams in women's basketball. Michigan State, LSU, Miami, Florida, Florida State, Indiana, Connecticut (prior to USF joining the BIG EAST), Georgia, Iowa State, Arizona State, Kansas State, UNLV and Duke in 2008 - to name a few - have helped to make up USF's non-conference schedule the past seven years.

The team’s 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.

A 1994 graduate of Florida International University with a bachelor's degree in physical education, Fernandez got his coaching start at a relatively young age. While working on his associate’s 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 probably 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, a man who gave Fernandez more than a couple of opportunities. In addition to hiring him as a student assistant, Odio promoted Fernandez to a full-time assistant coach upon his graduation from Miami- Dade in 1991, where he stayed for one season (1991-92) before becoming the assistant boys basketball coach at Miami's Sunset High School from 1992-94.

Following his two seasons at Sunset, Fernandez and Odio would renew acquaintances when Odio was tabbed head men's basketball coach at Barry University in Miami Shores, FL (1994-96). Fernandez came along as Odio's top assistant and immediately established himself as a coach that had a sharp eye for talent and potential.

Fernandez entered the world of 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 a stellar 83-16 (.838) record and a trip to the state 5A championship game in 1998 where they finished as runners-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 of the successful Miami Suns AAU program.

Fernandez originally came to USF as an assistant coach in the spring of 2000 following the second of his two tours of duty at Barry. In his most recent position, he served one year (1999-00) as the top assistant coach of the Buccaneers' women's basketball team.

Along with his coaching duties Fernandez also taught physical education at Miami's 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 (13), Alex (12), Taylor (10), Brianna (6) and Brooke (3).