TAMPA - A big week kicked off today for the University of South Florida women's basketball team as the Bulls were honored at Tampa's Municipal Building by Mayor Pam Iorio for their 2009 Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) championship.

USF head coach Jose Fernandez presented Mayor Iorio with an autographed ball by the team while the Mayor presented the women's basketball program with a proclamation from the City of Tampa on its historic win 75-71 over Kansas on April 4 in Lawrence. Mayor Iorio also proclaimed Sept. 19 as USF Women's NIT Championship Basketball Team Day in the City of Tampa.

Later this week, on Sept. 19, the team will be honored during the first and second quarter break of the USF-Charleston Southern football game. The University will also recognize the team's accomplishment with proclamations from both the Florida House of Representatives (H-9091) and the Florida Senate (S-2814) honoring our Champions.

Last season, the Bulls posted a 27-10 record - the best in school history - and an 8-8 eighth place finish in the BIG EAST Conference. USF finished the year winning five consecutive games en route to the WNIT postseason title - including three consecutive on the road. After a first round bye, the Bulls took care of Florida Gulf Coast (88-81 in overtime) on March 21 and Mississippi (74-57) on March 26, both coming at home. USF then hit the road, for 10 straight days, to defeat St. Bonaventure (80-66) on March 29, Boston College (82-65) on April 1 and Kansas (75-71) on April 4 in the title game.

The championship game with the Jayhawks was played in front of a USF, Kansas and Big 12 women's basketball record crowd of 16,113 at historic Phog Allen Fieldhouse. It was also the eighth largest crowd to see a women's basketball game in Division I during the 2008-09 season.

USF will kick its season off on Nov. 13 against Florida A&M when it will also raise their WNIT Championship banner.