May 21, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury head coach Vanessa Nygaard calls out a play against the Chicago Sky in the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Why Phoenix's Nygaard Received Recognition In A Difficult Year

Originally posted on Phoenix Mercury On SI
By Davion Moore | Last updated Jan 5, 2026 11:00 AM ET

The Phoenix Mercury have had some great coaches over the years, and some of them were a part of the Coach of the Year race. Sandy Brondello is the only coach who has won it for the franchise, but people like Paul Westhead and Corey Gaines were a part of the race before that.

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Both Westhead and Gaines won championships, despite other coaches winning the award in those years. For example, Dan Hughes won in 2007, and Westhead finished second. Gaines was third in the 2009 race, and Marynell Meadors won it. Mercury legend Jennifer Gillom was also involved in the race, and she was behind Gaines.

When Brondello won the award, she earned 33 points, and the most a coach could earn in that race was 38. There were some great coaches involved in that race, but after Phoenix's historic season, Brondello won the award convincingly.

After that she was a part of some of the other award races, and once she left the Mercury, Phoenix's new coach received recognition.

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Vanessa Nygaard became the Mercury's head coach in 2022 . She helped them reach the playoffs in what was a difficult year. The Mercury finished the season with a record of 15-21 in Nygaard's first season, and they faced the Las Vegas Aces. The Aces beat them 2-0, and Las Vegas went on to win it all.

Nygaard receives recognition

Nygaard was a part of the Coach of the Year race, and getting her team to the playoffs played a significant role. The Mercury played without Brittney Griner, and overall, it was an adjustment for everyone. Still, Nygaard helped her team overcome obstacles and it led to a playoff appearance.

When it came to the race, Nygaard earned a point. She was tied for fourth, and she was joined by Vickie Johnson and Mike Thibault. James Wade was third in the race, and Tanisha Wright finished second. Becky Hammon was named Coach of the Year, and she received 27 points. The maximum amount of points a coach could have was 56.

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The following year, Nygaard started the season as Phoenix's head coach, but after a rough start, the Mercury parted ways with her. Nikki Blue took over and finished the season. Nygaard had a record of 17-31 in her seasons in Phoenix, and while that was a challenging period, there were also some positives.

This article first appeared on Phoenix Mercury On SI and was syndicated with permission.

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