Carla Brito's play at FIBA U20 EuroBasket latest good sign for USF women's basketball

With interest in women’s college basketball at a record level, the upcoming season looms as a major opportunity for USF. The Bulls expect a strong rebound after uncharacteristically struggling last season, and Tampa is the host city for the 2025 Women’s Final Four.

USF is a co-host for the event with the Tampa Bay Sports Commission.

The buildup to the event will give USF an unusually bright spotlight. The Bulls appear to be coming together nicely to take advantage of this opportunity after an injury-plagued 19-14 record last season that included a second-round elimination in the American Athletic Conference tournament.

It cost them a spot in any post-season play.

It was a downer for a program with eleven 20-win seasons under head coach Jose Fernandez and post-season appearances in 18 of the last 21 years.

Among the positive developments, a key USF women’s basketball team member performed strongly for Spain in the FIBA U20 EuroBasket tournament in Lithuania.

Junior forward Carla Brito helped Spain advance to the tournament championship game but settled for the silver medal when they were defeated by France 83-75 on Sunday.

FIBA named Brito one of the 10 players who most impressed during the tournament. Officials called her a “bonafide contender for the All-Star Five.”

They added, “Her classy 18-point show in the semi-finals win against Italy epitomized her efforts, and that was pivotal to Spain making the title game. Shooting almost 60 percent from the field, this was the real impressive part of her game as Brito took smart shots and knocked plenty down.”

During her seven games in the showcase tournament, Brito averaged 12.7 points and 4.6 rebounds against top European competition.

Another major plus is the expected return of guard Sammie Puisis, a graduate student whose season was cut short last December by a knee injury. Her presence would give the Bulls a long-range threat that could open up the rest of the offense.

In 2022-23, Puisis was one of the best three-point shooters in the country after transferring from Florida State. She was also voted the AAC’s Newcomer of the Year.

Another big development was keeping Fernandez. He was linked to the open head coaching position at the University of Miami, his hometown, but elected to stay at USF. His contract runs through 2029.

“The University of South Florida has been my home for the last 24 years and there is no place I would rather be,” he wrote in a social media post.

“I’m so proud to be the head women’s basketball coach at this tremendous academic institution.”