The Dallas Wings are correcting a grave mistake. Last year, they went all in for Chris Koclanes, who had never held a head coaching job before. However, he was considered a protege by Curt Miller and the one to lead the franchise into the new Paige Bueckers era. Cut to today, Koclanes is already out for the job, and they lost one of their targets in Sandy Brondello to the Toronto Tempo (reportedly). According to ESPN, the Wings are on the cusp of signing South Florida coach Jose Fernandez as their next coach. But who is the new coach who is supposed to bring the Dallas train back on track? Let’s find out.

Who is Jose Fernandez?

Jose Fernandez is a Miami native who is about to be named the next Dallas Wings coach. Fernandez hasn’t played college basketball himself, but has a vast coaching experience. He started as a coach as a teenager while working on his associate degree at Miami-Dade CC Kendall, where he earned his degree in 1991. After completing his degree, Fernandez moved to Sunset High School as an assistant coach and earned a reputation for having a keen eye for talent. 

Fernandez entered girls’ basketball in 1996, getting his first head coaching job at Miami’s Lourdes Academy. He was immensely successful at Lordes, leading the Bobcats to an 83-16 record in his three seasons. In addition, Fernandez also established roots among high school coaches from around Florida and the nation as director and founder of the successful Miami Suns AAU program. Fernandez dabbled in teaching physical education after earning his bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1994 from Florida International University, but full-time coaching was his true calling.

Jose Fernandez Family –  Parents, Wife & Children

At the age of 53, Jose Fernandez is married. He and his wife, Tonya, have four daughters, Sydnie, Alex, Taylor, Brianna, and Brooke. The family lives in Tampa with their seven foster dogs. Fernandez’s mom, Julia, lives in Colorado, who is one of his inspirations for becoming a coach. The 53-year-old is described as a family-first coach, imparting that knowledge to the next generation. 

Jose Fernandez Career & Salary

After opting for talent, the Dallas Wings are going for experience. According to ESPN, “the Wings were looking for a candidate with significant head coaching experience and a proven track record for success, as well as someone with an international reach.” Fernandez gives them exactly that. He has long been a successful and widely respected head coach in women’s college basketball. As the head coach at South Florida since 2000, he has built the Bulls from the ground up.

He is 485-317 all-time there and has taken USF to nine of the past 12 NCAA Tournaments. Since 2021, he’s won three conference championships in the American while having 12 seasons of 20 or more wins, and also captured a WNIT championship in 2009. Apart from his position as a coach, Fernandez was also elected as the President of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association in April. As a cherry on the cake, Fernandez has been a part of the Team USA coaching team too, working with the gold medal-winning 2025 U19 and the 2024 U18 teams as an assistant. Fernandez’s career earnings as a coach are unknown, but he signed a six-year, $4.3 million deal through 2029, topping out at about $800,000 annually before bonuses with USF in 2023. Fernandez was the 29th most paid coach on USA Today’s salary chart last season.

Why Did Jose Fernandez Leave USF for the Wings?

“Women’s basketball head coach Jose Fernandez has informed me of his decision to pursue an opportunity to coach at the next level in the WNBA,” A statement from the CEO of athletics, Rob Higgins, said. “While this is a bittersweet moment for our program, it is a well-deserved opportunity for Jose to realize a professional dream, and we are incredibly proud of him.” Like any college coach, Fernandez held aspirations to coach in the big leagues, and the Dallas Wings became the perfect opportunity for him to take the jump. 

He could have become the head coach last year, but his contract buyout prevented the Wings. But things have changed since then. His buyout has gone from about $1 million to about $250,000 within the past year. Reasons? There was a clause in his contract that his buyout would be cut in half if there was a change in the athletic director for USF. In June, former USF AD Michael Kelly left for the U.S. Naval Academy. USF baked in a pro escape hatch, slicing his buyout by 50% if he jumped to the WNBA rather than a rival college bench

What Does Jose Fernandez’s Hiring Mean for the Wings?

Jose Fernandez is a change in direction. His experience could bring some stability for the Dallas Wings, something they are desperately looking for after repeatedly recycling coaches (5 coaches in 7 seasons). For Paige Bueckers, it’s a good sign too, as Fernandez has coached one of the top point guards in the WNBA in the past, in Courtney Williams.

“The bond I have with coach Fernandez, knowing he is somebody that is always going to have my back, checking in on me and letting me know, ‘Hey, Court, whenever you can make it down (to Tampa), just give me a call. We love to hang out with you, take you out to dinner,” Williams says, “It is a great bond. That’s him. He’s always there for me.”

Williams played for USF for all four seasons from 2012 to 2016, averaging 16.7 points and 6.7 rebounds. While she wasn’t a point guard then, she has transformed into one of the best on the biggest stage. Hopefully, Fernandez can form the same bond with Paige Bueckers so that the entire team can thrive. They have a young core, and some more talents are approaching in the 2026 draft. Fernandez should be a good coach to grow this crop.