The WNBA offseason began in earnest over the last week with the conclusion of the first round of the playoffs and the first two coaching changes. The Seattle Storm let Noelle Quinn go on Sunday while the New York Liberty fired Sandy Brondello on Tuesday.
Quinn’s departure was expected. The Storm only won one playoff series since she took over in 2021 and she was investigated last offseason for alleged bullying and harassment. The Liberty’s decision to part ways with Brondello just one year after she led the franchise to its first championship, on the other hand, came as a surprise.
There will likely not be any more coaching changes this winter. Seven teams changed coaches last season, and if you count Natalie Nakase with the expansion Golden State Valkyries, eight coaches started new jobs. The only two who appeared to be in possible danger immediately were Tyler Marsh (Chicago Sky) and Chris Koclanes (Dallas Wings).
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But even though the Sky and Wings finished tied for the worst record in the league (10-34), neither Marsh nor Koclanes is expected to be fired, according to Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports.
Of the five teams that entered the 2025 season with established coaches, the Storm and Liberty have made changes. The Las Vegas Aces, Minnesota Lynx and Phoenix Mercury are all still competing, and Becky Hammon, Cheryl Reeve and Nate Tibbets have excellent job security.
There are two other open jobs to track, besides the Liberty and Storm, however. The Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo will enter the league next season as the latest expansion franchises, and neither has made a hire.
WNBA coaching tracker
Team2024 recordPrevious coachNew coach
New York Liberty
27-17
Sandy Brondello
TBD
Portland Fire
N/A
N/A
TBD
Seattle Storm
23-21
Noelle Quinn
TBD
Toronto Tempo
N/A
N/A
TBD
Liberty
Out: Sandy Brondello
Brondello had a very successful tenure in charge of the Liberty. Over her four seasons in charge, the team went 107-53, won a franchise-record 32 games in both 2023 and 2024, never missed the playoffs and made two Finals appearances. In 2024, she led the Liberty to the first championship in franchise history and in 2023 she helped capture the Commissioner’s Cup title. Ultimately, those accomplishments were overshadowed by a disappointing 2025 campaign. The Liberty were beset by injuries, finished in fifth place and were bounced in the first round of the playoffs by the Mercury.
In: TBD
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Storm
Out: Noelle Quinn
Quinn, who won a championship with the Storm as a player, joined the Seattle coaching staff as an assistant in 2019 immediately upon her retirement. In 2021, she was elevated to head coach after Dan Hughes stepped down due to health reasons. While she led the Storm to four playoff appearances, they won only one series despite an abundance of talent and never finished higher than sixth in the league in offensive rating. Furthermore, Quinn was investigated for alleged bullying and harassment of players. A second consecutive first-round exit in 2025 was the final straw.