Jose Fernandez is synonymous with USF women's basketball. He built the Bulls from the ashes he inherited 25 seasons ago into a program that is respected nationally and frequently participates in the NCAA Tournament.
With that in mind, it's unlikely anyone had "Jose Fernandez leaves USF for the Dallas Wings of the WNBA" on their bingo cards. But as the news broke on Thursday afternoon that he was indeed leaving the program he had built and shaped for the challenge to coach Paige Bueckers and the rest of her teammates at the next level.
Well, good for him.
No, make that great for him.
If anyone deserves a shot like this, it's Jose Fernandez. He is 53, so he had one more big move in him. The chance to coach a true superstar like Bueckers is rare, and so you can't blame him for taking the leap.
He is 485-317 all-time and has taken USF to nine of the past 12 NCAA Tournaments. What else could he accomplish here?
But as he leaves for better (and presumably more lucrative) pastures, what does this mean for the Bulls?
They open their season on November 3. Long-time assistant Michele Woods-Baxter assumes the role as interim head coach for the Bulls, which is the logical move.
"Michele's experience and leadership will guide our student-athletes as they embrace a challenging schedule and compete for another American Conference championship," USF CEO of Athletics Rob Higgins said.
"Our commitment to supporting and investing in an elite women's basketball program remains unwavering. We take great pride in the tradition of excellence that has been built here at USF, and we look forward to continuing to grow the national brand of Bulls basketball."
Growing the national brand is trickier.
For all the success USF had under Fernandez in getting to the NCAA Tournament, the Bulls never made it past the first weekend. Part of that was the difference between a handful of women's basketball powerhouses like UConn, South Carolina, and Tennessee (back in the day under Pat Summitt) and teams like USF.
The Bulls could get to the tournament, but they were often on the dreaded 8/9-seed line, which meant that even if they won their first game, they would be matched against a top-seeded team on its home floor.
That had to be frustrating.
While the women's game has grown tremendously, the top talent still goes to a handful of power teams. UConn, led by Bueckers, was the embodiment of that last season as the Huskies won the national championship (played in Tampa) over another traditional power, South Carolina.
Fernandez tried to compensate for that by concentrating on international recruiting, and his teams have long had an international flavor. They were good enough to compete and win in the mid-major American Conference, but after advancing to the NCAA Tournament last season, they were blown out 101-66 by Tennessee,
Now, Fernandez gets to compete on a more level playing field. Undoubtedly, he found that challenge irrestible.
The Bulls, meanwhile, are favored to win the American this season -- the sixth straight season they have been the top preseason pick -- and Woods-Baxter is tasked with making that happen. She knows what she is doing and will do just fine.
It won't be the same, though.
A year ago, Fernandez was considered the front-runner for the vacant Miami Hurricanes job. He is a Miami native and if he had jumped no one would have been surprised.
But he stayed and got the Bulls to another NCAA Tournament.
He never got that NCAA title, though. With a building block like Paige Bueckers, he might get something bigger, though.
No one could deserve it more.