TAMPA, Fla. — As the USF Bulls wrap up their final preparations for their season opener, head coach Jose Fernandez, who is entering his 24th season, can’t help but feel an added level of giddiness.

“I’m extremely excited,” Fernandez said. “And when that excitement ends and hopefully that doesn’t end for a while, then it’s time for me to stay home and fish and play with the dogs.”

Fishing will have to wait. Coach Fernandez isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. USF recently extended his contract through the 2028-29 season. And his USF Bulls are once again a favorite to win the conference.

“I love chasing greatness every day and I love the competitive fire that our staff and our kids have,” Fernandez said.

The Bulls also have a lot of depth and versatility this season. That’s something that sets them apart. And a necessity given what they’ve lost from last year. The Bulls are coming off a season where they were crowned the American Athletic Conference regular season champs. They advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. But that was last year.

“We’ve got to replace two WNBA draft picks,” Fernandez said. “The year before, we had to replace four starters. So every team has a life of its own and every season’s different.”

Some things never change, like high expectations. For the fourth straight year, the Bulls open the season as the conference’s No. 1 ranked team. They’ve got a target on their back, but Coach Fernandez likes that pressure. Because pressure, he says, is a privilege. And this USF program has earned the right to be the leaders, not followers.

The Bulls return three starters. They’ve also got a host of players prepared to step up. And they’re ready to make their mark on this prestigious program.

“I’m really excited about this group,” Fernandez said. “I had an incredible time coaching the team we had last year, but this group’s been amazing to coach all summer and preseason.”