Paige Bueckers will be stepping into her sophomore year with a new voice guiding her. It’s not the one most fans expected. While many had their money on Sandy Brondello, the Dallas Wings surprised everyone by bringing in longtime South Florida head coach Jose Fernandez. He is one of the most respected names in the college basketball scene and a proven winner. But Fernandez now steps into the pros with one clear mission: Get the Wings back to the playoffs after an utterly disappointing year under newbie Chris Koclanes. And General Manager Curt Miller was there to provide clarity to anyone who needed it.

When the Wings GM was asked why they chose to hire another head coach with no prior WNBA experience, he didn’t hesitate to give a clear and confident response. According to Dallas News reporter Myah Taylor, Miller said:

“Jose is one of the most respected veteran coaches in women’s basketball. He is a proven winner and has built sustained success for over two decades at USF. Jose consistently produces professional players and is regarded as an excellent developer of talent. His colleagues from across the country constantly credit his teams for their preparation and grit, while continuously raising the bar for success on the court. He is known for putting his players in a position to succeed. Lastly, as the game and WNBA continue to become global, no coach in this country has recruited and successfully coached international players better than Jose. I can’t wait to partner with Jose and support his vision for our Dallas Wings.”

At 53, Jose Fernandez arrives in Dallas with a resume built on consistency, growth, and winning. When he took over the South Florida side back in 2000, the program was barely on the map! It recorded just three winning seasons in its entire school history.

Fast forward two decades, and Fernandez turned the Bulls into a model of consistency. He’s the all-time winningest coach in program history, a two-time AAC Coach of the Year, with 12 seasons of 20-plus wins and 10 NCAA Tournament trips to show for it.

Think about it. He’s been on the sidelines for more than half of USF’s existence, but every single one of their NCAA Tournament appearances came under his watch…

Along the way, Jose Fernandez has helped develop nine players drafted or signed by WNBA teams, including 2x All-Star Courtney Williams, proving his knack for turning raw potential into professional success.

Consistency is the missing piece in Dallas. With Paige Bueckers poised to be the face of the franchise, Jose Fernandez feels exactly like what the Wings have needed.

Bueckers’ new head coach joins a growing WNBA trend of college basketball veterans making the leap to the pros. Jose Fernandez becomes the third straight hire in as many seasons to land a job without any prior professional coaching experience.

The Dream did it last year with longtime Florida Gulf Coast coach Karl Smesko, who turned that gamble into gold with a franchise-record 30 wins in 2025! On the other hand, the Sparks had handed the reins to former Utah coach Lynne Roberts, and she delivered a respectable 21-23 debut season. Interestingly, though, Paige’s former coach, Geno Auriemma, hadn’t stayed silent on the Wings’ latest hire either.

Paige Bueckers’ Ex-Coach Makes His Feelings Clear About Jose Fernandez

If there’s anyone who knows Paige Bueckers inside out, it’s her college mentor and coach, Geno Auriemma. After five fruitful years together, the NCAA veteran mastered the art of bringing out the best in her. So when Jose Fernandez began his two-year term as President of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association a few months back, Auriemma’s words portrayed clearly how highly he rated him as a basketball mind.

According to an article on the University of South Florida’s team website, the Huskies legend revealed that Jose Fernandez is one of his closest friends. He also said, “I think he’s a tremendous coach, obviously, as everybody knows, but he cares deeply about the game itself. He puts in the time and effort.”

It will be fascinating to see how the Fernandez-Bueckers dynamic unfolds in Dallas. Can he guide the reigning Rookie of the Year to the same kind of success his close friend Auriemma did at UConn? Only time will tell. Also, bear in mind that the Wings currently have the top odds in the 2026 WNBA Draft lottery.