TORONTO (Reuters) -Australian Sandy Brondello has been named the inaugural head coach of the Toronto Tempo, Canada’s first Women’s National Basketball Association team said on Tuesday.
Brondello, a veteran of the WNBA head coaching ranks, led the Phoenix Mercury to a title in 2014 before guiding the New York Liberty to their first championship in 2024. She was named the WNBA’s coach of the year in 2014.
“It’s an incredible honour to be part of this historic moment for basketball in Canada,” Brondello, 57, said in a press release.
“From my first conversations with the Tempo organization, it was clear we share the same vision: to build a world-class franchise that competes at the highest level, to create a strong and dynamic culture, and to root everything we do in clear and consistent values.”
In September, the New York Liberty announced they would not renew Brondello’s contract, a decision that came after the team, who had injuries take a toll, lost in the opening round of the playoffs.
A native of Queensland, Brondello has served as head coach of the Australian women’s national team since 2017 and guided them to a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Brondello, a former WNBA All-Star and three-time Olympic medallist as a player, was inducted into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.
The Tempo, who are the WNBA’s first franchise outside the United States, will begin play in the 2026 season and play home games at an 8,700-seat arena in the city’s downtown area and additional games in Montreal and Vancouver.
“This is a place that’s serious about doing things the right way – about excellence, about people, about community – and that’s exactly the kind of environment every coach wants to be part of,” said Brondello.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in TorontoEditing by Christian Radnedge)
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