Associate head coach Jeff Osterman joined the staff in 2005 and has joined head coach Jose Fernandez in building a program that is a mainstay in the national spotlight. Osterman helped guide the Bulls to 12 postseason appearances during his tenure, including six NCAA Tournament appearances.Â
Since joining the Bulls coaching staff Osterman has made a significant impact both on the court and on the recruiting trail. The class of 2016 was ranked No. 25 in the U.S. He helped bring in a top-35 recruiting class in seven of his seasons with USF. Osterman’s 2005-06 class ranked 21st nationally and his 2006-07 class was 15th by the Collegiate Girls Basketball Report (CGBR). He also recruited the 32nd and 34th best players in America respectively. The 2008-09 recruiting class was ranked No. 25 in the nation by CGBR, the 2009-10 class was tabbed the 20th best in America by the Blue Star Basketball Report. Osterman recruited the 10th-ranked JUCO player in America in 2011, and secured the 12th-ranked JUCO player in 2013.
In addition, Osterman has been responsible for overseeing the USF defense during a time when the Bulls have been stingy to opposing offenses. In 2005-06, Osterman’s first season, USF allowed the third fewest points per game in school history, (61.7 ppg) while the 2006-07 team recorded the fifth fewest points by an opponent (63.8 ppg). During the 2008-09 season, the Bulls allowed just 65.6 points per game - good enough for the sixth fewest in school history - en route to the Women’s National Invitation Tournament title. USF topped those numbers in 2013-14, recording the lowest opponent field goal percentage in school history (.356) and the second-lowest opponent points per game total in school history (59.1). From 2011-12 to 2013-14, USF has notched its three lowest opponent field goal percentages in program history.
Osterman came to USF after serving three seasons (2002-05) as an assistant coach at Fordham University in New York City, where he was the Rams’ top aid. During his time on the Rose Hill campus in the Bronx, Osterman recruited the two most decorated classes in the program’s history. His 2004 and 2005 classes were ranked in the top 50 by adidas, and included a national top 50 player.
No stranger to the Sunshine State, Osterman was the head women’s basketball coach at Central Florida Community College (CFCC) from 1997-02. Prior to that he served as co-head coach at CFCC for two years (1995-97) and as an assistant coach/recruiting coordinator for one season (1994-95).
In all, Osterman spent eight years on the women’s basketball staff at the Ocala school, helping the Patriots to a National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Top 25 ranking each year and never more than eight losses in any one season. During the 1996-97 season, Osterman helped CFCC to a stellar 34-1 record, a No. 2 national ranking and an appearance in the NJCAA Division I National Championship game. That 1996-97 team led the nation in scoring, pouring in an astounding 110.8 points per game.
Osterman recorded an impressive 185-35 (.850) record and was tabbed a four-time Mid-Florida Conference Coach of the Year. On the recruiting trail he recruited, coached and developed 14 National Junior College Athletic Association All-Americans and seven Kodak All-Americans. He also coached a three-time Parade, USA Today and Street & Smith’s All-American in Conswello Sparrow, who started at CFCC and went on to Auburn. In addition, he coached the 2000-01 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association National Player of the Year Max Nhassengo, who went on to play at Old Dominion. Also among his players was Liliana Cabezas, who is the first and only player to go from junior college to a women’s professional basketball league in the United States when she was drafted in the third round (32nd pick overall) by the Philadelphia Rage of the now defunct American Basketball League in 1998.
Osterman helped produce players at CFCC that have gone on to play at Connecticut, Auburn, Old Dominion, Kansas, Arizona State, Texas and Kentucky.
Osterman began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Russell Sage College where he served for one year (1991-92) before moving on to St. Thomas Aquinas College (1992-93) and then to Albertus Magnus College (1993-94) before his position at CFCC.
Widely respected as one of the top coaches in the country - and a future star-to-be as a head coach - Osterman was selected to take part in Nike’s prestigious Villa 7 Coaches Consortium in Beaverton, OR during the Summer of 2008.
Osterman is a 1992 graduate of Siena College with a bachelor’s degree in marketing/management. A native of Harrison, N.Y., he and his wife, Kristin, reside in the Tampa Bay area with their son, JC.
Coaching Career
Four-time Mid-Florida Conference Coach of the Year
1991-92 Russell Sage College Asst. Coach
1992-93 St. Thomas Aquinas College Asst. Coach
1993-94 Albertus Magnus College Asst. Coach
1994-95 Central Florida CC Asst. Coach
1995-97 Central Florida CC Co-Head Coach
1997-02 Central Florida CC Head Coach
2002-05 Fordham University Asst. Coach
2005-07 USF Asst. Coach
2007-2018Â USF Associate Head Coach
