New York Liberty make coaching change as team chooses to not renew Sandy Brondello's contract

Sandy Brondello will not return as the coach of the New York Liberty for the 2026 season, the team announced on Tuesday. The Liberty said in a statement they would not be renewing Brondello's contract after going 107-53 in four seasons at the helm in New York. 

"We would like to thank Sandy Brondello for her everlasting impact on the New York Liberty," general manager Jonathan Kolb said. "Sandy finishes her tenure in New York as the winningest coach in franchise history, and she took us to never-before-seen heights as the first head coach to lead the Liberty to a championship. We wish Sandy the very best in her next chapter."

Brondello led the Liberty to two WNBA Finals appearances, including the first championship win in franchise history in 2024. After winning the title last year, New York was the preseason favorite to go back-to-back in 2025, but the Liberty failed to reach those heights again. 

The Liberty went 27-17 in the regular season, which was only good for the 5-seed in the WNBA Playoffs. After taking Game 1 of their first round series with the Phoenix Mercury to steal homecourt advantage, the Liberty got blown out at home in Game 2 and lost a nail-biter in Game 3 for a rather stunning first round exit. 

The team announced they will begin their coaching search immediately. New York figures to be a coveted coaching job given the talent on the Liberty roster and the investment in the team from ownership. 

Brondello, meanwhile, will be the most experienced coach on the market for other teams looking to make a change. The Seattle Storm have an opening after firing Noelle Quinn and are seeking a coach with a proven track record of postseason success. Brondello, who has won championships at both of her coaching stops in Phoenix and New York, would make sense as a candidate in Seattle if she desires to pursue another coaching gig.