Jose Fernandez makes Pro Head Coaching Debut with Dallas Wings
Charlotte, NC – Former student-assistant turned assistant coach at Miami-Dade College (FL), Jose Fernandez, is set to make his professional head coaching debut with the Dallas Wings in the WNBA. Fernandez made the move to the professional ranks following nearly 35 years of coaching experience, including the past 25 years as head coach for the University of South Florida women's basketball program.
While earning his associate degree at Miami-Dade College, then known as Miami-Dade Community College Kendall, Fernandez volunteered his time as a student assistant coach for the men's basketball team. Fernandez was heavily involved in Head Coach Cesar Odio's program and earned a promotion to a full-time assistant coach for the Sharks. Although Fernandez only spent one season as an assistant coach with Miami-Dade, his time with the Sharks helped build a foundation for his coaching career.
Fernandez was named the head coach of the Dallas Wings on October 27, 2025. After finishing last in the WNBA in 2025, Fernandez is tasked with turning things around this season. Dallas opens the 2026 season on Saturday, May 9 at 1 p.m. ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. against the Indiana Fever. The game will be available to watch on ABC and Disney+.
Elsewhere in the WNBA, former Angelina College star, Natasha Mack, will feature for the Phoenix Mercury in her fourth season in the league. Mack, a 6'4 forward, was named the 2019 NJCAA Division I Player of the Year after a spectacular sophomore season. She was a two-time NJCAA All-America honoree with the Lady Roadrunners and was also selected as the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Two-Year College Player of the Year. Mack set a new program record for career points with 1,471 and led NJCAA Division I in blocked shots (18) in 2018-19. Aside from her personal accomplishments, Mack led Angelina College to the program's first-ever appearance at the NJCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship.
Mack transferred to Oklahoma State University for her final two collegiate seasons. She made an immediate impact, earning Big 12 Newcomer of the Year in 2020. As a senior, Mack was chosen as the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, the WBCA Defensive Player of the Year, and the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.
Mack was selected in the second round of the 2021 WNBA Draft by the Chicago Sky. She briefly signed with the Minnesota Lynx before playing overseas for two years in Poland, New Zealand, and Turkey. Mack returned to the United States in 2024 and made her first WNBA career start with the Phoenix Mercury. Helping the Mercury reach the WNBA finals in 2025, Mack was among the best statistically in the league. She ranked first in blocks per 40 minutes (3.3) and was one of six players to record multiple blocks in 15 or more games. Mack shot 57.3% from the field, second-best in the league, and ranked eighth in offensive rebounds per game (2.3). The Mercury's season opener is on Saturday, May 9 at 3:30 p.m. ET at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. against the Las Vegas Aces – a rematch of the 2025 WNBA finals. The game will be available to watch on ABC and Disney+.
Four additional NJCAA alumni are coaching in the WNBA this season:
Landon Tatum | South Plains (TX) | Golden State Valkyries | Assistant Coach
A 2008 NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball champion, Landon Tatum, helped South Plains College win the program's first national title. Tatum transferred to the University of Idaho before playing professionally in Germany. He switched to coaching in 2014 and joined the Valkyries in 2025.
Latricia Trammell | Seminole State (OK) | Chicago Sky | Assistant Coach
Trammell, who was inducted into the Seminole State College Alumni Hall of Fame in 2018, has been coaching for over 30 years. A native of Seminole, Okla., Trammell played two seasons at Seminole State College before attending East Central University. Trammell was added to the Sky's staff at the conclusion of the 2025 season.
Kasib Powell | Butler (KS) | Golden State Valkyries | Assistant Coach
Powell played two seasons at Butler Community College in 1999-2001 before transferring to Texas Tech University. He played professionally for 10 seasons and began his coaching career in 2016. Powell joined the Valkyries staff in 2025.
Micah Fraction | Baltimore City (MD) | Las Vegas Aces | Player Development Coach
Fraction began his collegiate career at Baltimore City Community College before spending his final two seasons playing at Kutztown University. Fraction began coaching as a graduate assistant in 2016 and was hired by the Aces in 2026.
About NJCAA
Since 1938, the NJCAA has served as the premier governing body for two-year collegiate athletics, providing student-athletes with opportunities to prepare, compete, succeed, and achieve in both their academic and athletic disciplines. The NJCAA is the second largest national intercollegiate athletic organization in the United States, with over 500 member schools, 60,000 athletes and 3,400 teams competing in 28 different sports. Each year, the NJCAA sponsors 57 national championships and invitationals.
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