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Alexa PhilippouOct 22, 2025, 06:41 PM ET
- Covers women's college basketball and the WNBA
- Previously covered UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant
- Stanford graduate and Baltimore native with further experience at the Dallas Morning News, Seattle Times and Cincinnati Enquirer
Sandy Brondello has agreed to become the first head coach of the expansion Toronto Tempo, a source confirmed to ESPN.
The team is expected to make the announcement in the coming days once a contract is finalized.
Brondello yielded significant interest from multiple other organizations before choosing Toronto, which is set to begin play in 2026 alongside another new team in the Portland Fire.
The Tempo will host games at the Coca Cola Coliseum in Toronto, while also playing two regular-season games in Montreal and two in Vancouver.
Brondello has a storied history in the league, earning an All-Star selection as a player in 1999 and leading the Phoenix Mercury and New York Liberty to WNBA titles as a coach in 2014 and 2024, respectively. Her contract with the Liberty was not renewed after their first-round playoff exit this past season.
Brondello has also been the leader of the Australian Opals national team, most recently leading the squad to a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
With the Tempo's head-coaching job filled, the Dallas Wings, Seattle Storm and Liberty are the only openings still remaining.
The IX Basketball was first to report Brondello's hiring by the Tempo.
