Sandy Brondello

Sandra Anne Brondello (born 20 August 1968) is an Australian professional basketball coach and former professional basketball player. She is the head coach of the Australian women's national team and the inaugural head coach of the Toronto Tempo of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Brondello played in Australia, Germany and the WNBA before retiring to become a coach. The 5’7” (1.70 m) Brondello is one of Australia's all-time best shooting guards. She played on Australia's "Opals" national team at four Summer Olympics, has coached the team at two more, and won three medals (one bronze, two silvers) as a player and one bronze medal as a coach. She attended the Australian Institute of Sport in 1986–1987, and was inducted to the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. She was then traded to the Miami Sol (along with a 2000 first-round draft pick) in exchange for Stephanie White. After sitting out of the 2002 season due to a foot injury playing for Wuppertal during the WNBA offseason,

On the Australian National Team, Brondello joined the team before the age of 18 and remained on the Opals for 17 years, Twice she sat out of the WNBA due to Olympic commitments, in 2000 and 2004.

In 2009 Brondello was inducted into the Queensland Sport Hall of Fame.

Brondello and her husband, associate head coach Olaf Lange, were fired by the Silver Stars in September 2010. Brondello finished her only season as head coach with a 14–20 record, third best in the Western Conference. They were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Phoenix two games to none. General manager Dan Hughes regained the title of head coach in January 2011, returning to the dual role he held before promoting Brondello. Brondello would become an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Sparks for the 2011 season.

In November 2013, Brondello was hired by the Phoenix Mercury to replace interim coach Russ Pennell. In her inaugural season, Brondello led the Mercury – which featured a former Opals teammate, Penny Taylor – to the league's top record and highest single-season win total in WNBA history, with 29 wins and 5 losses, earning her a Coach of the Year Award. The Mercury eventually won the 2014 WNBA Finals by sweeping the Chicago Sky.

On 6 December 2021, the Phoenix Mercury announced that the team and head coach Sandy Brondello had mutually agreed to part ways and that her contract, which expired after the 2021 season, would not be renewed.

On 7 January 2022, Brondello was officially named the head coach of New York Liberty.

On 20 October 2024, Brondello took the New York Liberty to their first WNBA finals championship.

On 23 September 2025, the Liberty announced they were not renewing Brondello's contract.

On 4 November 2025, the Toronto Tempo announced the hiring of Sandy Brondello as the team’s first Head Coach.

Brondello (right) coaching the Toronto Tempo alongside Associate head coach and husband Olaf Lange, May 2026.

In July 2026, Brondello was suspended for one game by the WNBA, for calling Atlanta Dream player Angel Reese a "protected species". The comment which in Australia is used to express frustration at a lack of calls against a player, can be seen as having racial connotations in the United States. Brondello apologised for the comment and stated that it had carried an impact beyond her meaning.

Australian National Team Brondello became the coach of the Australian Women's national team, the Opals in 2017.

At the 2018 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup held in Tenerife in Spain, the Australian team were runner-up beaten by the US 73-56 in the final.

In 2021, she coached the team at the delayed Tokyo Olympics. The team was knocked out in the quarter finals by the US.

The 2022 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup was hosted by Australia, and played in Sydney. Australia came third in the tournament, being knocked out by China in the semi final, and winning the third place playoff against Canada.

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Australian team won the bronze medal, the team's first Olympic medal since a bronze in 2012. They were beaten by the US in a semi final, and won the third place playoff against Belgium.

In February 2025, her contract with the Australian team was renewed through to the 2028 Olympics. They have 2 children, Brody and Jayda.

Career playing statistics

WNBA Source

Regular season

Playoffs

Head coaching record