The Dallas Wings are making headlines once again, but not for their on-court exploits—at least, not yet. The franchise, which has cycled through coaches at a dizzying pace in recent years, is ushering in a new era with the reported hiring of Jose Fernandez as its next head coach. Fernandez, a stalwart of women’s college basketball with a 25-year tenure at the University of South Florida (USF), is set to take the reins after a turbulent season that saw the Wings finish with a league-worst 10-34 record and part ways with Chris Koclanes.
This move, first reported on October 23, 2025, and confirmed by multiple sources by October 25, signals a fresh start for a Wings organization desperate to recapture the momentum it briefly tasted during a 2023 playoff run. The hiring is pending final contract details, but all signs point to Fernandez stepping in as the Wings’ fifth coach in just seven seasons—a statistic that underscores the instability that has plagued the franchise since its relocation to Dallas from Tulsa in 2016.
Fernandez’s résumé speaks for itself. Since taking over as USF’s head coach in November 2000, he has guided the Bulls to 10 NCAA Tournament appearances, including a remarkable stretch of eight in the last 11 seasons. Under his leadership, USF notched 12 seasons with 20 or more wins and produced nine players who either were drafted or signed by WNBA teams. USF athletics CEO Rob Higgins didn’t mince words about Fernandez’s legacy, stating, “Over the past 25 years, Jose has been an exceptional leader, mentor and advocate for the University of South Florida. His impact on USF athletics and our university community is profound, and his legacy will be remembered and celebrated for years to come.”
Fernandez’s departure leaves a significant void at USF, with Michele Woods-Baxter stepping in as interim coach. Meanwhile, the Wings are hoping that Fernandez’s collegiate success will translate to the professional ranks, where patience has worn thin after back-to-back disappointing seasons. The Wings have now hired their third coach in as many years, a carousel that has left fans and players alike yearning for stability and a clear vision.
The 2025 WNBA season was, by all accounts, a disaster for Dallas. The team’s 10-34 record set a new league benchmark for single-season losses, and Koclanes never seemed to find his footing after being promoted from assistant to head coach. By the end of the season, frustration boiled over, with fans chanting for assistant Nola Henry to take over during home games. General manager Curt Miller, who was hired last year, had brought Koclanes onto his staff with high hopes, but the experiment fell flat, prompting yet another search for leadership.
Fernandez’s arrival coincides with a period of transition for the franchise, both on and off the court. The Wings and the city of Dallas recently broke ground on a new practice facility, a much-needed upgrade that is expected to be ready before the 2026 season. However, construction delays have postponed the team’s highly anticipated move to a renovated downtown arena, meaning the Wings will continue to play their home games at the University of Texas at Arlington campus for at least one more year. It’s a reminder that, even as the organization looks to the future, some challenges remain stubbornly in place.
On the player front, the Wings have reason for optimism. The roster features standout talent, including Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers, who burst onto the scene with one of the most impressive debut seasons in league history. Bueckers’ arrival injected energy into the franchise, and she received 70 of 72 votes from sports writers and broadcasters for the award. Her continued development will be a focal point as Fernandez takes over, and the Wings, who have the best odds to win the draft lottery again, could add even more firepower to their lineup.
Elsewhere, the Wings’ international connections are coming into play. Center Luisa Geiselsoder, who played 28 games in her rookie WNBA season, is spending the offseason overseas with CIMSA CBK Mersin in Turkey. The Turkish club, a consistent contender at the highest European level, has reached the EuroLeague final twice in the past three years, including in 2023 and 2025. Geiselsoder’s performance overseas could be pivotal, as she is an exclusive rights free agent this offseason and her play may influence Dallas’s decision to bring her back for another campaign. The Wings only added Geiselsoder to the roster in 2025 after her efforts helped Basket Landes win their league championship in France.
The coaching carousel hasn’t been limited to Dallas. The WNBA has seen a flurry of moves this offseason, with the Seattle Storm hiring Sonia Raman—formerly an assistant with the New York Liberty and a longtime head coach at MIT—and the Portland Fire expansion team appointing Alex Sarama, a rising star with international experience. The Toronto Tempo, another expansion franchise, made a splash by bringing in Sandy Brondello, who was let go by the Liberty just a year after leading them to their first championship in franchise history. As of this writing, the Liberty remain the only WNBA team without a head coach, a surprising twist given Brondello’s recent success.
For Dallas, the hope is that Fernandez’s experience and steady hand can finally provide the foundation the franchise has lacked since its move to Texas. The Wings have not been to the postseason in the past two years, and the pressure is mounting to turn things around. With a new practice facility on the horizon, a young core led by Bueckers, and the possibility of another top draft pick, the pieces are in place for a turnaround—but only if stability can be established on the sidelines.
It’s a tall order, but Fernandez has never shied away from a challenge. After a quarter-century of building USF into a perennial contender, he now faces the task of restoring the Wings’ reputation in a league where the margin for error is razor-thin and the competition relentless. The next few months will be crucial as Fernandez finalizes his staff, evaluates the roster, and charts a course for the 2026 season and beyond.
For now, Wings fans can look forward to a fresh start and the promise of better days ahead. Whether Fernandez can deliver on that promise remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure: the Dallas Wings are betting big on a proven winner to lead them out of the wilderness and back into the WNBA spotlight.
