Defending conference champions set for five nationally televised games and War on I-4 home-and-home series.
TAMPA (Sept. 30, 2021) – The defending AAC Champion USF women’s basketball team learned the road it will travel to attempt to repeat when the American Athletic Conference announced conference schedules on Thursday.
Entering his 21st season as head coach of the USF women’s basketball program, Jose Fernandez and his team will take on a slate that is highlighted by five of the conference’s seven national television appearances and home-and-home dates with six of the 10 teams in The American, including a pair of meetings with rival UCF in the War on I-4.
Click here to see the complete 2021-22 South Florida women’s basketball schedule.
The Bulls will play four games on ESPNU and appear once on ESPN2 during the season. In addition, the Green and Gold will have the rest of their schedule – both conference and nonconference – broadcast live on ESPN+.
“We are extremely excited about this year’s team and our conference schedule,” said Fernandez, who comes into the season just eight wins shy of 400 for his career. “January and February are a long way away, so we need to focus on getting better each day, game like intensity, and preparation.”
Coming off the most successful season in program history, the reigning conference regular-season and tournament champion Bulls open the New Year with three of their first five AAC games played on the road. The Bulls will open conference play at Yuengling Center on Sunday, Jan. 2, when Memphis comes to Tampa before hitting the road for the first time in conference play to face Cincinnati on Wed., Jan. 5. The Bulls return home for their first nationally televised game against Wichita State (ESPNU) on Sun., Jan. 9. USF will close out the five-game stretch with back-to-back road games at Tulane on Wed., Jan. 12, and at UCF on Sun., Jan. 16 in the first meeting of the War on I-4.
The Bulls close out January and head into mid-February with the benefit of a favorable home schedule as five of eight games will be played in Tampa. Tulsa and Temple kick off the stretch with consecutive home games on Wed., Jan. 19, and Sat., Jan. 22, respectively. The Green and Gold finish the month at SMU on Wed., Jan. 26, and at Houston (ESPNU) on Sun., Jan. 30.
USF begins February with three of four games at home, beginning with Tulane (ESPNU) on Sun., Feb. 6, before heading to the “City of Brotherly Love” to butt heads with Temple on Wed., Feb. 9. South Florida and UCF (ESPN2) will meet again in the Yuengling Center on Sun., Feb. 13 for the final War on I-4 clash of the season. Cincinnati closes out the back-to-back home games on Wed., Feb. 16.
A pair of road dates at Wichita State on Wed., Feb. 23, and at East Carolina on Sun., Feb. 27 will take place before the Bulls close the regular season at home against Houston on Wed., March 2.
For the second straight season, the American Athletic Conference Tournament will take place at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, March 7-10.
Season tickets are on sale now. Fans are encouraged to visit USFBullsTix.com or call 1-800-GoBulls to purchase their season tickets.
Last season, South Florida claimed conference regular season and tournament championships while posting a 19-4 overall record, and a 12-2 mark in The American. The Bulls capped an unprecedented season with their seventh NCAA Tournament appearance and sixth trip to the Big Dance in the last nine years. The Green and Gold finished the year ranked No. 19 in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll and No. 18 in the USA Today Sports Coaches Poll. The Bulls rose as high as No. 12 in the AP poll on Feb. 15, USF’s highest ranking ever.
Included in their 19 wins were a thrilling 67-63 overtime victory over No. 6 Mississippi State, the highest-ranked team the Bulls have ever defeated, and two victories over rival UCF. The first win against the Knights secured the AAC regular-season crown on March 2 (W, 65-62) and the second the AAC Tournament title on March 11 (W, 64-54).
USF defeated Washington State, 57-53, in the NCAA Tournament first round for its first tournament win since March 19, 2016, when it defeated Colorado State, 48-45.
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USF has recorded its best season in program history during the 2020-21 campaign, all while navigating the unpredictable COVID-19 landscape. In doing so, the Bulls won their first-ever conference regular-season and tournament titles, and posted their highest ranking in the Associated Press Top25 poll, reaching as high as No. 12.
USF has made 16 postseason tournament appearances and had seven NCAA Tournament berths in head coach Jose Fernandez’s 21 seasons. The all-time winningest coach in program history, Fernandez has guided USF to nine 20-win seasons, two WNIT final four appearances, the 2009 WNIT championship, and won more than 380 games. For his efforts on the sideline during the 2020-21 season, Fernandez was named a finalist for the WBCA and semifinalist for the Naismith National Coach of the Year Awards. He was also tabbed the 2021 American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.
Also, during the 2020-21 campaign, the Bulls had five players recognized by The American for impressive seasons, including Elisa Pinzan (Most Improved Player, All-Conference Second Team), Maria Alvarez (Co-Sixth Player of the Year), Bethy Mununga (All-Conference First Team), Elena Tsineke (All-Conference First Team), and Sydni Harvey (All-Conference Third Team).
In addition, Harvey was named the American Athletic Conference Tournament Most Outstanding Player and to the All-Tournament Team, while Mununga and Tsineke were also All-Tournament selections.
– #GoBulls –
