Triple Olympian Brondello to coach the Opals
MELBOURNE (FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2017) – Basketball Australia have confirmed playing legend Sandy Brondello will pick up the coaching reins of the Opals and lead them in the new Olympic cycle.
MELBOURNE (FIBA Women's Asia Cup 2017) - Basketball Australia have confirmed playing legend Sandy Brondello will pick up the coaching reins of the Opals and lead them in the new Olympic cycle.
Taking up the position which has Tokyo 2020 as its key goal and could also potentially include a trip to next year's FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in Spain, Brondello takes over from her predecessor, Brendan Joyce.
@BasketballAus @PhoenixMercury Congrats to Sandy Brondello from @PhoenixMercury on being named the @BasketballAus Opals Head coach.
— Brendan Joyce (@Brendan_Joyce12) April 18, 2017
"I am very honored to be selected for the role of Opals head coach," said the play-caller, who will continue to coach Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA. "I am beyond excited about the opportunity and I look forward to being back with the Opals team and building towards success in Tokyo."
Brondello brings a wealth of experience to the role through her time at the Mercury - a team she led to the title in 2014 when she was also named the WNBA Coach of the Year.
"We are enormously grateful for the support of the Mercury organization in Sandy's appointment," said Basketball Australia CEO, Anthony Moore. "This is a fantastic acquisition for the Opals with Sandy owning an intimate knowledge of both the Opals and the international game. We are confident this will ensure we remain as one of the top basketball countries in the world."
Brondello will commence in the role as head coach of the Opals from 1 May and has spent the last seven months in EuroLeague Women as an assistant coach with UMMC Ekaterinburg.
Brondello is the third most capped Opals player of all time
Revered as a player after becoming an Opal when she was still a teenager and eventually racking up 302 games for the national team, she hung up her shoes as the third most capped player of all time.
Brondello was a two-time bronze medalist at the FIBA Women's World Championships in 1998 and 2002 and won three straight Olympic medals with a bronze in 1996 and silver medals in 2000 and 2004.
The Opals squad will convene for the first time since the Rio Olympics at a camp from May 3-11 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Preparations will begin for the FIBA Asia Women's Cup 2017, held in India from July 19-August 1, although it has been revealed she will not be leading Australia at the event.
Further appointments will soon be announced in respect of who will coach the Opals at the tournament.
FIBA