USF Women’s Basketball Looks to Challenge Itself This Season

Omar Little, a wise character from Baltimore, once said, “It’s not what you’re going to Tarkin, it’s the person you then make it Tarkin… When you spar with your puppy all day, how do you expect to run with the wolves?” In simpler terms, if you want to excel, you need to surround yourself with excellence.

This philosophy is something the South Florida women’s basketball team has embraced under head coach Jose Fernandez. Last season, the Bulls faced one of the toughest non-conference schedules in Division I women’s basketball, which proved beneficial as they secured a 13-4 record in the American Athletic Conference. They also won the AAC Tournament, marking their 10th appearance in Multimadness since 2006, and their fourth in the last five seasons.

Throughout the years, Fernandez’s squad has taken down 22 teams ranked in the AP Top 25. And looking ahead, they have opportunities to add to this impressive total in the upcoming 2025-26 season.

This season, USF has arranged another challenging non-conference slate. An interesting twist this year is that they will play some top teams on their home turf at the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida.

They’ll host powerhouses like South Carolina and Duke as part of their non-conference schedule. South Carolina, a formidable opponent, will partake in a home-and-home series, and the same goes for UConn. Fernandez suggested visiting Duke this year since they played in Durham last season, and now Kara Lawson has agreed to come to Tampa for the second year in a row. Last year, USF secured a notable 65-56 win over Duke, which stood out as their sole quad 1 victory of the season.

This year marks the 12th season under Fernandez where the team aims for more than 20 victories. Since 2013, the Bulls have participated in three NCAA tournaments and have been a dominant force in the AAC.

However, the team looks a bit different this year; key figures like sharpshooter Sammy Poorgis and dynamic point guard Mama Dembele have moved on. Additionally, contributors Romi Levy and Vittoria Blasigh have transferred to other programs. On the bright side, Fernandez has revamped the roster by bringing in four promising transfers, including Katie Davidson, Edin Battle, Stephanie Ingram, and Kirsten Lewis Williams. Major rebounders like Carlo Burrito and L’OR Mputu are also returning.

At 53, Fernandez is on the brink of his 500th career victory. He’s in his 26th season leading the Bulls with an impressive 485 wins. Moreover, this year, he is taking over the role of president for the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, following North Carolina’s Courtney Bangert, and will navigate the evolving landscape of college athletics.

“I want to work with people who genuinely love our game and are committed to making progress,” Fernandez shared, echoing sentiments from South Carolina’s Staley, who recently commended him by saying, “I think Jose is that guy.”

Additionally, USF will face the third team from last season’s Final Four, UCLA, in a November event in Las Vegas, along with fellow Mid-Major Power Fairfield.

Furthermore, the Bulls have an exciting matchup lined up against Bahammer Hoop in the Pink Flamingo Championship Beach Division in the Bahamas, where they’ll also contend with either Harvard or Alabama in their second game.