From gousfbulls.com Tampa, FL (March 28, 2005) – After leading the University of South Florida women’s basketball team to the best record in its 33-year history, head coach Jose Fernandez has agreed to a new five-year contract, Athletics Director Doug Woolard announced Monday evening. The new deal will keep Fernandez at USF through the 2009-2010 season. “We are pleased that Jose Fernandez will lead our women’s basketball program for the next five years, and into the future as we enter the BIG EAST Conference,†said Woolard. “Jose has done a tremendous job moving the program forward not just regionally, but on a national level as well.†“In addition, Jose shares the same goals that we in athletics, and at USF, share in trying to provide the best possible partnership for our student-athletes and women’s basketball team both academically and athletically.†Essential terms of the contract are a base salary of $125,000 per year; $10,000 for radio and television along with the use of a vehicle. Fernandez will also receive an annual annuity of $20,000 provided he fulfills the terms of his contract. “I’m very excited to be at USF for the next five years,†said Fernandez. “I’m also extremely pleased with the commitment that the athletic department has made to our program as we enter the BIG EAST Conference next season.†Fernandez, and the Bulls, enjoyed the best record in the programs history this season posting a 21-11 record, while also helping to guide USF to its second consecutive postseason berth in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament. The Bulls advanced to the second round of the WNIT defeating Florida (61-56) before losing to Wake Forest (78-63). During the record-setting season, USF almost pulled off the biggest upset in school history taking three-time defending national champion – and future BIG EAST Conference foe – Connecticut into overtime before losing to the Huskies 75-65. The game marked the first time in UConn history that the perennial national title contenders played in an overtime game in Gampel Pavilion. The Bulls would finish the regular season winning seven of their last 10 games prior to the Conference USA Tournament. USF would then defeat Southern Miss (68-47) in the first round before losing to eventual tournament champion TCU (65-57) in the quarterfinals. Good news here