TORONTO TEMPO NAME SANDY BRONDELLO AS INAUGURAL HEAD COACH

Two-time WNBA champion and former and Coach of the Year will lead Canada's first WNBA team

TORONTO, Nov. 4, 2025 /CNW/ - The Toronto Tempo today announced the hiring of Sandy Brondello as the team's first Head Coach, bringing one of the most accomplished and respected basketball minds to lead Canada's first WNBA franchise.

A two-time WNBA Champion (2014, 2024) and WNBA Coach of the Year, Brondello joins the Tempo following a decade of success as Head Coach of the New York Liberty (2022–2025) and the Phoenix Mercury (2014–2021). Over that span, she guided her teams to four WNBA Finals appearances and became one of only two coaches in league history to capture championships with multiple franchises. Brondello currently ranks sixth all-time in both career wins and games coached in the WNBA, and second all-time in playoff victories.

"It's an incredible honour to be part of this historic moment for basketball in Canada," said Sandy Brondello, Head Coach, Toronto Tempo. "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. 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.

A native of Queensland, Australia, Brondello has served as Head Coach of the Australian National Team since 2017, guiding them to a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. A former WNBA All-Star and three-time Olympic medalist as a player, she was inducted into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.

"Sandy is one of the most experienced and respected coaches in the world," said Monica Wright Rogers, General Manager, Toronto Tempo. "She knows how to win at the highest level - but she also knows how to build culture and community. She's known for creating an environment where every player understands their role, feels empowered to lead, and recognizes how they contribute to something bigger than themselves. That's what builds sustainable success. That's what builds champions."

The Tempo will begin playing at Coca-Cola Coliseum in 2026 and will also host regular season games in both Montreal and Vancouver. More information about the team, including details on how to register for the Season Ticket Waitlist, is available at tempo.wnba.com.

About Toronto Tempo

In May 2024, the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) announced its expansion into Canada by awarding Toronto an expansion team, the league's first outside the United States. The new team, owned by Kilmer Sports Ventures, will begin play in the 2026 season as the WNBA's 14th franchise. Sephora Canada and CIBC are the team's first announced founding partners. Larry Tanenbaum, Chairman of Kilmer Sports Ventures and a 30-year veteran of building championship-caliber teams, is also Chairman of the NBA Board of Governors and Chairman Emeritus of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which owns the NBA's Toronto Raptors, NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs, MLS' Toronto FC and other professional sports franchises. Under his leadership, the Raptors won their first NBA championship in 2019.

SOURCE Toronto Tempo