Former Storm guard Sandy Brondello was promoted to head coach of the San Antonio Silver Stars Thursday when veteran Dan Hughes stepped aside to focus on his duties as the team’s general manager. Brondello, who has spent the last five seasons as an assistant to Hughes, becomes the third former WNBA player to also serve as both an assistant and a head coach in the league, joining L.A.’s Jennifer Gillom and Storm Director of Scouting and Player Development Jenny Boucek.

The time is right for Brondello to become a head coach, Hughes indicated.

“Sandy will be my fourth assistant coach to become a head coach in the WNBA,” he said in the release. “Her evolution from player to coach over the past five years has been unlike any other I have seen. She is an effective teacher of the game, relates to the professional player and is ready to lead a team of her own. Along with Olaf Lange as associate head coach, the Silver Stars family is in great hands. I will do all I can as general manager to compliment this wonderful staff.”

Brondello finished her five-year WNBA career as the Storm’s starting shooting guard during the 2003 season. After retiring, she represented Australia in the 2004 Athens Olympics before moving to the sidelines. Besides Brondello’s time playing in Seattle, there’s another tie between the two coaching staffs – Storm Head Coach Brian Agler was part of Hughes’ staff alongside Brondello and Lange from 2005 through 2007 before coming to Seattle.

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