Fernandez Meets With Media as Voluntary Workouts Begin
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, JUNE 15, 2020 – Head coach
Jose Fernandez was happy to talk about USF women's basketball while meeting with reporters at the Muma Center on Monday, something he hasn't been able to do since March.
What made it all possible was student-athletes from both of the Bulls' basketball programs being allowed to return to campus for voluntary workouts. It marked the continuation of the
University's phased return plan approved by the USF Board of Trustees that kicked off last week with approximately 80 members of USF football members heading back to campus for their own voluntary workouts.
"This is our first day of trying to get back to normal, which whatever that may be," said Fernandez.
About 40 percent of Fernandez's roster is back in the building after completing a thorough screening process last week. Strict health safety and hygiene guidelines must be followed by student-athletes and members of USF Athletics approved to return in order to minimize the risk and potential spread of COVID-19.
"It's good for them to get back, to get a sense of being back on campus," said Fernandez of his student-athletes. "I know it's different. You have to come in with a face mask. You gotta go through a temperature check and a list of questions."
At this point, only strength and conditioning coaches and sports medicine staff are allowed to work with student-athletes. Fernandez's coaching staff, which still mainly operates remotely, is making sure to keep student-athletes' families up to date on everything involved with the return to campus.
"It's all about communication and I have a very good staff," Fernandez said. "We've been in communication with parents to answer any questions that they may have and so forth."
USF's phased return process will continue July 6 with fall sports student-athletes from men's and women's soccer, volleyball and men's and women's cross country arriving back on campus.
For USF women's basketball, Monday was an important step for a program that hadn't been together in any in-person fashion as a team since the Thursday before Selection Monday in March.
At that point, USF (19-13) had just appeared in The American Women's Basketball Championship semifinals for the seventh straight season. Next up would have likely been a trip to the WNIT, extending the program's postseason streak to nine straight seasons.
"It's tough because you play the whole season and you finish the way that we did," Fernandez said. "I still think we had a lot of basketball left to play."
Remaining competition in all sports was called by mid-March, but Fernandez certainly understood the ultimate priority - safety during the pandemic.
"I think sports got moved to the side, as they should be," he said. "… I think everything that we did, as far as a perspective standpoint around the country, was the right thing to do."
Bulls Bits
CONGRATS, COACH BURKS-WILEY: In April, head coach Jose Fernandez was proud to congratulate Jesyka Burks-Wiley on taking the next step in her already impressive coaching career. After serving as one of Fernandez's trusty assistants for three seasons, Burks-Wiley became the eighth head coach in FIU women's basketball history. "I'm very happy for her. She did a great job here," Fernandez said. "I think she's got a really, really good opportunity." Another familiar face in Tim Sylver, USF women's basketball's video coordinator for five seasons, joined Burks-Wiley at FIU in May following one season as an assistant coach at Stetson.
FIT FERNANDEZ: Following months of social distancing at home, Fernandez returned to campus more than 20 pounds trimmer than when pandemic quarantines began. "My wife's taken very good care of me," said the 48-year-old coach who joked about having "a lot of home improvement projects." "It's been a huge change in the way that everybody has lived their life, as far as how we've tried to stay busy at home, how we've communicated, how we've shopped, how we've changed as consumers and how we've eaten at home," Fernandez added.
About USF Women's Basketball
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USF notched its eighth consecutive 19-win season and eighth straight postseason appearance in 2018-19. The Bulls celebrated two all-conference honorees in Enna Pehadzic and Sydni Harvey.
USF has made 15 postseason tournament appearances and had six NCAA Tournament berths in head coach Jose Fernandez's 19 seasons. The all-time winningest coach in program history, Fernandez has guided USF to nine 20-win seasons, two WNIT final four appearances, the 2009 WNIT championship and won more than 350 games.
– #GoBulls –
