Liberty declined to renew Sandy Brondello's contract

The New York Liberty declined to renew coach Sandy Brondello's contract on Tuesday, parting ways with the coach who led the franchise to its first WNBA title last season. The move, announced by general manager Jonathan Kolb, comes after the Liberty were eliminated in the first round of the 2025 playoffs by the Phoenix Mercury and follows a season that began with a nine game winning streak at Barclays Center.

Kolb thanked Brondello for her impact and credited her with becoming the winningest coach in franchise history and leading New York to back to back Finals and the 2024 championship. In an exit interview, he said the decision was driven by a desire for "evolution and innovation" as the league changes, and he emphasized that the choice was not made on the basis of this season's injuries. Kolb also confirmed the team will not retain assistant coach Olaf Lange, who is Brondello's husband, and said the search for a new head coach will begin immediately without a set timeline.

Brondello finished 107-53 in four seasons in New York, transforming the roster into a perennial contender after her arrival in 2022. The 2025 club opened 9-0 and sat second in the standings with a 14-6...