“This is Canada’s team” – Sandy Brondello shares bold ‘vision’ for Toronto Tempo as ex-Liberty coach embraces WNBA expansion challenge

After Sandy Brondello’s stint with the New York Liberty, her next task is to lead the WNBA’s latest expansion team, the Toronto Tempo. Brondello was announced as the team’s first-ever head coach after the Liberty decided to let her go. Heading into the 2026 season, the Australian coach has embraced the challenge she has been given.

Having coached some of the top teams in the league over the years, Brondello is looking forward to growing with a young team in the Tempo. She stated that Toronto is where she wants to be during her introductory press conference on Tuesday.

“I was sold on the vision that they had for this franchise. To build a team from the ground up, that’s something that really excites me,” Brondello said.

Brondello also said that there were other options for her before she finally decided to commit to the Tempo.

“I had a few options there, but in the end, I was really intrigued by starting from the very beginning with good people. And in a different country: this is Canada’s team.”

The Tempo’s inaugural season will be in 2026. Sandy Brondello has an all-time coaching record of 269-181 through 450 games. She’s regarded as one of the best coaches in the league, having won two titles. Also, the former WNBA player has won the Coach of the Year award once.

Sandy Brondello addressed her Liberty exit

Having won the WNBA title with the Liberty in 2024, many thought that Sandy Brondello would stay longer. But the previous 2025 campaign put an end to any rumors that her collaboration would continue.

As soon as New York was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, the organization let Brondello go. During her introductory presser for the Tempo, the head coach explained that she thinks both sides weren’t aligned with what they wanted for the team.

“We faced a lot of adversity this past year, and it was hard without our main players there,” Brondello explained.

“I just kind of thought it was time, probably not as aligned as I would have hoped, and that goes both ways. This is a business, and if they feel I’m not the right person for the job, then that’s fine. That’s a part of the business, and they have to make that decision. And I felt like I needed a new challenge, too.”

With her new team, Sandy Brondello said that she believes there’s a lot of alignment. She also said that the partnership with the team’s general manager, Monica Wright Rogers, felt right.

Edited by Reign Amurao