Sandy Brondello gets a roaring ovation in her Liberty return with Toronto Tempo

Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello reacts toward a referee during the second half of a WNBA basketball game against the Minnesota Lynx, Thursday, May 21, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

NEW YORK (AP) — Sandy Brondello waved to the fans as they gave her a loud ovation before her Toronto Tempo faced the New York Liberty on Wednesday night.

The coach, who led New York to its first WNBA championship in 2024, now is in charge of the Tempo after she was let go by the Liberty after last season.

Many of Brondello’s former players gave her hugs in pregame warmups.

“I have so many great friendships here and that’s not going to change just because I coach a different team,” Brondello said.

The team played a tribute video midway through the first quarter for Brondello as well as husband Olaf Lange, who was her assistant in New York and Toronto, Isabelle Harrison and Nyara Sabally.

The crowd gave them all a standing ovation when the video was done.

Brondello finished 107-53 in the regular season during her four years leading the franchise after arriving in 2022. The 107 victories is the most in Liberty history. But a first-round exit in the playoffs last season led to general manager Jonathan Kolb making a change.

“One door closes, another one opens,” Brondello said. “I’ve enjoyed it here, but I’m embracing my new role too tonight. Maybe a little bit different, I don’t know. I don’t know who loves me and who hates me. So we’ll see.”

This isn’t the first time that Brondello has come back to coach against a former team she helped lead to a title. She won a championship in Phoenix in 2014 — her first year with the team. That wasn’t the franchise’s first title. She was let go by the organization in 2021 before coming to New York.

Now she has a new challenge with Toronto as the first franchise outside of the U.S. has gotten off to a solid start and has the same 5-4 record as the Liberty.

Brondello isn’t the only former franchise member returning Wednesday night as her husband Olaf Lange, who was an assistant on the Liberty has the same role with the Tempo.

Nyara Sabally was chosen in the expansion draft by the Tempo and she was instrumental in the decisive Game 5 of the WNBA Finals in 2024.

“I have obviously really good memories here in this gym with the fans,” Sabally said. “I mean, they’ve they’ve always been so amazing. So, it’s going to be just a nice welcoming moment.”

Sabally hung out with her sister Satou, who plays for New York now, when she got to town.

Doug Feinberg, The Associated Press