(Photo: Bobby Kraus/WCSN)
After a trip to the Austin Regionals of the NCAA Tournament in 2021, Arizona State Baseball fell at the hand of Texas and Fairfield.
As a result, the Sun Devils enter 2022 under a new regime, led by former ASU infielder Willie Bloomquist, who enters his first season as head coach of his alma mater.
With 14 years of playing experience in the MLB and over 20 years of experience in professional baseball, Bloomquist returns to ASU as one of the most accomplished alumni in program history.
Bloomquist spent three seasons as a Sun Devil, one of which saw him earn the 1999 Pac-10 Player of the Year honor. In the 1998 College World Series, Bloomquist tied the NCAA Tournament single-game record with five hits in a game that led up to the National Championship.
Bloomquist was an All-American in both his 1998 and 1999 seasons, and ended his collegiate career with the fourth-highest career batting average inASU history (.394), while also placing fourth in triples (22), fifth in runs (216) and fourth in stolen bases (72).
Additionally, he was named to the All-Packard Team in 2014 and was inducted in the ASU Sports Hall of Fame one year prior.
“For me, it’s very surreal that I am back here in this capacity,” Bloomquist said on Friday. “ I love Arizona State. I have always loved this program and what it’s done for me and this is my way of getting the chance to put this uniform on again.”
While this may be Bloomquist’s first year as a head coach, he is certainly not backing down from the challenge.
“I, [who’s] at the top, don’t have any coaching experience at the College level, [so] hiring guys like Sam Peraza and Travis Buck have helped me along the way,” Bloomquist said. “I am happy with the guys I have surrounded myself with.”
Like Bloomquist, Travis Buck, a former ASU player as well, will enter his first year on the coaching staff as the team’s hitting coach.
Before replacing Bill Mueller as ASU’s hitting coach in December, Buck was previously a player development coach with the Sun Devils and an assistant coach with Boise State from 2019-2021.
“To be back here so soon is a dream come true and I am very fortunate to put on the Maroon and Gold again,” Buck said.
Buck, like Bloomquist, spent three seasons in a Sun Devils uniform as a player. He was a two-time All Pac-10 first-teamer as well and finished with 272 career hits at ASU.
During his last year, Buck became only the fourth player in school history to record at least 100 hits, 20 doubles, and 20 stolen bags in the same season.
With the Sun Devils’ formidable projected lineup in 2022, ASU will look to Buck to help hone in on its hitters’ skills and take its hitting to the next level.
“We want these guys to understand how special it is to wear the Maroon and Gold, [and] these guys are really starting to embrace the history and tradition,” Buck said.
Bloomquist and Buck had plenty of winning experience during their collegiate careers at ASU, and they will look to bring that winning culture back to a program that has been deprived of it over the past couple of seasons.
“Willie and I were here when Arizona State was at their very best, so we have an idea of the winning culture and mentality,” Buck said.
With plenty of Major League experience under their belts, Buck and Bloomquist will look to take the Sun Devils to new heights.
“I can’t say enough how excited I am to have this opportunity,” Bloomquist said.
