Sandy Brondello wins PBWA’s Anne Donovan Award

March 11, 2026 – Sandy Brondello of the Toronto Tempo has been named the 2025 winner of the PBWA’s Anne Donovan Award, which honors a WNBA coach or executive for their outstanding commitment to working with the media who cover the league.

Brondello, who coached the New York Liberty last season, went above and beyond in making herself available to reporters throughout a challenging campaign, ultimately guiding the team to a 27-17 record and a playoff berth, the Liberty’s fourth in her four years with the franchise. Brondello joined the Tempo as their inaugural head coach in November.

“To receive this award in Anne Donovan’s name is very meaningful to me,” Brondello said. “I had the privilege of playing for Anne, and she set the standard for professionalism, leadership, and respect for the game. She understood the value of the media and the role you play in growing our league. The WNBA continues to move forward because its stories are told and its athletes are covered with credibility. I believe communication is part of leadership. Being open and respectful with the media is simply part of doing the job the right way.”

Other nominees for the award included Stephanie White of the Indiana Fever and Nate Tibbetts of the Phoenix Mercury. The nominations and final vote were conducted by the PBWA’s WNBA chapter, created in 2021 and chaired by Howard Megdal.

“Whether she is coaching the Mercury, the Liberty, the Tempo or Team Australia, one thing I know about Sandy Brondello is that it will always be a delight to speak with her and learn from her every time she meets with the media,” Megdal said. “One of the most decorated coaches in WNBA and international history, Sandy still considers it important
not just to show up to speak with us, but to help us tell the stories around her career more fully by sharing her thoughts with us.”

Monica Wright Rogers, the Tempo’s general manager, said in a statement: “This recognition is so well deserved. Sandy approaches every interaction — with players, staff, fans and the media — with unwavering respect, thoughtfulness and professionalism. She understands the vital role the media plays in growing our sport and shows up with authenticity and generosity every time. Sandy brings a rare blend of competitive excellence and genuine openness, and her approach reflects the culture we’re building in Toronto, rooted in respect, integrity and belief in the power of our game.”

The PBWA each year honors a WNBA player, coach and PR professional who go the extra mile to work with the media:

• The Val Ackerman Award goes to the best team (or in special circumstances, league) public-relations professional, and is named after the first president of the WNBA, Val Ackerman, who possesses a keen understanding of the importance of media and has worked hard to empower us to do our best work.

• The Anne Donovan Award goes to the coach (or in special circumstances, executive) who is most available and helpful to the media, and is named after the late Anne Donovan, an icon of the sport as a player, head coach and executive.

• The Tamika Catchings Award goes to the player who best fosters a spirit of cooperation with the media, and is named after the former Indiana Fever star, who never said no to a chance to promote the league.

The awards are modeled after similar honors that the PBWA bestows annually on the NBA side, to the player (Magic Johnson Award), coach (Rudy Tomjanovich Award) and PR staff (Brian McIntyre Award) who consistently go above and beyond to work with the media and the public.

Founded in 1973, the Professional Basketball Writers Association is a nonprofit membership organization for journalists who regularly cover the NBA and the WNBA for newspapers, magazines, wire services and online outlets. At present, the PBWA has approximately 230 members, representing more than 80 outlets.