TAMPA, Fla., (Dec. 16, 2021) – University of South Florida women’s basketball head coach Jose Fernandez will go for his 400th career coaching win on Friday, Dec. 17, when the Bulls face High Point at the Yuengling Center. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. (ESPN+)

“That’s a big number, a lot of wins,’’ Bulls guard Sydni Harvey said. “That’s good knowledge to know it’s coming. But we’ve got to take care of business first.’’

Fernandez (399-279 in 22 seasons) couldn’t have said it better himself. Since being elevated from recruiting coordinator to head coach after two months on the job — taking the reins of an irrelevant and largely invisible program — he has lifted the Bulls to national prominence.

For the record, it’s seven NCAA Tournament bids, 16 postseason appearances in the last 17 years, and nine 20-victory seasons.

“It’s not easy playing for Coach Jose because he’s demanding,’’ Bulls center Shae Leverett said. “Lots of ups and downs. But, hey, he’s my guy.’’

Leverett first met Fernandez during her official visit to USF.

“He showed me around,’’ Leverett said. “We went to a restaurant and I ate too much. I met his wife. I felt he was honest and genuine. It felt like family. The first impression was warm and welcoming.’’

Leverett has long since adjusted to the bad days, when the ball isn’t bouncing right, when practice isn’t going well, when there are too many mistakes. She knows why the coach keeps pushing back.

“My goal is to play overseas and he never lets me forget that,’’ Leverett said. “He doesn’t let me get away with bare minimum. If you tell him your goals, he’s going to push you every day. He’s going to get you there.

“He has helped me. I see the soft side. We talk about his dogs. He tells us about managing our money. Sometimes I’ll tell him that he needs to talk a little differently to the girls, not be so rough. And he listens. So this has been a good ride. For the players before me, too. I mean, 400 wins? It’s a milestone. It’s a big number.’’

Numbers can’t possibly tell the whole story.

“We had our moments at the beginning, but we’re good now,’’ USF point guard Elisa Pinzan said with a laugh. “There needs to be a good relationship between the point guard and the coach. We’re both stubborn, but we collaborate.

“I want to be a coach one day. I watch and learn. He pushes the players at 100 percent. Even if you don’t want to hear it, if it’s the truth, you’re going to hear it. You need to hear it. And that’s OK. In the end, we all want the same thing. We want to win. We want a good life.’’

The Bulls already have a pair of victories against top 10-ranked teams this season, including a win against Stanford, the defending national champions. The goal is to lift another trophy at the American Athletic Conference Tournament, then get back to the NCAA Tournament.

Friday night is just another non-conference game with a very big number attached. But that number means something for what Fernandez has built, for how far USF women’s basketball has come.

“Coach always wants us to be at our best,’’ Harvey said. “You don’t necessarily like it when he’s on you. But he sees the potential in us and won’t let us settle for less — whether that’s basketball or life.

"It’s a lot of seasons, a lot of wins. I think it means something. It means a lot.’’