Two-time WNBA champion Sandy Brondello named the first head coach of the Toronto Tempo

By Canadian Press on November 4, 2025.

TORONTO (AP) — Sandy Brondello was officially named as the first head coach of the WNBA’s Toronto Tempo on Tuesday.

The Associated Press previously reported that the 57-year-old Australian would lead the first team in the league to be based outside the United States. The Tempo start play in 2026.

“I had a few options (to go elsewhere), but in the end I was really intrigued about starting from the very beginning and building something with really good people and in a different country,” Brondello said. “This is Canada’s team and I thought that would be very exciting and I’m up for every challenge.”

Brondello led the New York Liberty to the 2024 WNBA title, but her contract was not renewed after the team lost in the first round of the playoffs this past season.

Brondello went 107-53 in four seasons with New York and earned the most wins in franchise history. She also guided the Phoenix Mercury to a WNBA title in 2014 and a Finals appearance in 2021 during an eight-year tenure.

“I’ve won a few championships … this is just a little different situation, obviously, that a lot of the players now are free agents,” she said. “Yes, we’ll be an expansion team, but hopefully summer in Toronto is pretty special, I hear, so hopefully we can get some pretty special players to represent the Tempo.”

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

The Associated Press