Mercury, coach Brondello agree to contract extension
Oct 13, 2016, 3:03 PM | Updated: 3:07 pm
Phoenix Mercury head coach Sandy Brondello shouts instructions during the second half of a first round WNBA playoff basketball game against the Indiana Fever, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016, in Indianapolis. Phoenix won the game, 89-78. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
The Phoenix Mercury announced they have agreed to a multi-year contract extension with coach Sandy Brondello.
“I’m very excited to continue to be the head coach of the Phoenix Mercury,” Brondello said in a press release. “I appreciate the organization believing in me as a coach and the vision I have for this team moving forward. Together with Jim Pitman we will work hard to ensure we improve on the season we had this year and to bring another championship to the best fans in the WNBA.”
This season, the Mercury finished with a 16-18 record, earning the 8th seed in the playoffs. Despite having the lowest seed, they went on to defeat the 5th seed Indiana Fever and 3rd seed New York Liberty to advance to the semi finals where they were swept by the reigning champion Minnesota Lynx.
In 2014, the Australia native led the Mercury to their third championship and earned the Coach of the Year award. She became the first head coach in team history to win Coach of the Year after a title.
Brondello has a 65-37 (.637) regular-season record in her first three years, second best in the WNBA to Minnesota’s Cheryl Reeve. In the playoffs, she has led the team to a 11-6 (.647) record, tying Corey Gaines for the most postseason victories in franchise history.
Before taking the Mercury job, Brondello was an assistant for the Los Angeles Sparks. Prior to that, she was with the San Antonio Silver Stars, as an assistant from 2005-09 and then as the head coach in 2010.
