Arizona
Arizona State Extends Baseball Coach Willie Bloomquist
Image credit:
Arizona State coach Willie Bloomquist (Photo by Eddie Kelly / ProLook Photos)
Arizona State plans to extend head baseball coach Willie Bloomquist for two additional seasons through the 2028 campaign, sources told Baseball America. The extension is pending formal approval from the Arizona Board of Regents.
Bloomquist was set to earn $390,000 from July 1 through June 30, 2026, the final year of his existing deal. As part of the extension, Arizona State adjusted some of Bloomquist’s contract incentives and is planning to increase its overall investment in the baseball program, sources said. The Sun Devils currently fund 34 full scholarships, the maximum allotment permitted.
The timing of the extension reflects a measured show of confidence following a pivotal season for both Bloomquist and the ASU program.
Hired in the summer of 2021, Bloomquist returned to his alma mater with no head coaching experience and inherited a program navigating significant change. His first three seasons were subpar, marked by flashes of competitiveness but ultimately falling well short of the standard long associated with ASU baseball.
The Sun Devils went 26-32 in 2022, 32-23 in 2023 and 32-26 in 2024, missing the NCAA Tournament in each of those seasons. The three-year postseason absence represented the longest drought in program history, an uncomfortable distinction for one of college baseball’s most historically successful programs. As the sport rapidly evolved around the transfer portal and NIL, the pressure to accelerate results mounted.
ASU finally broke through in 2025, finishing 36-24 overall and 18-12 in their first season competing in the Big 12 to end the postseason drought and reestablish a baseline of competitiveness. While the season did not fully restore the national stature the program once routinely commanded, it provided tangible evidence of progress and stability after several transitional years.
That momentum carried into the offseason, when the Sun Devils assembled one of their most complete teams under Bloomquist. ASU retained key pieces from their 2025 roster, most notably top pitcher Cole Carlon, a lefthander who emerged as a reliable anchor for the staff out of the bullpen, and emerging outfielder Landon Hairston, among others.
ASU also made a significant push in the transfer portal, securing commitments from three top 100 transfers: former Cal shortstop PJ Moutzouridis, former UNLV outfielder Dean Toigo and former TCU righthander Kole Klecker.
The planned increase in institutional investment aligns with those roster moves. In an era when resources increasingly shape competitive ceilings, ASU’s willingness to increase its baseball budget signals an understanding of the demands required to contend at a high level. While details of the expanded support were not immediately available, the move suggests a more aggressive approach to sustaining success in the Big 12 and nationally.
For Bloomquist, the two-year extension provides continuity without dramatically altering the short-term expectations attached to the job. It offers stability as he continues to shape the program while still placing an emphasis on sustained results.
The Sun Devils enter the next phase of Bloomquist’s tenure with clearer alignment. The extension does not erase the challenges of the past four seasons, but it does position ASU to evaluate progress on firmer footing as it looks to turn a single breakthrough season into something more durable.
PAGE, ARIZ., – A suspect has been arrested after two people were found shot to death inside a home near the Arizona-Utah border.
What we know:
On July 5 at 11:30 p.m., the Page Police and Fire Communications Center responded to a report that two people had been shot near Elm and El Camino.
Once at the home, officers found a man and a woman with gunshot wounds. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
“The suspect was unknown and not on scene when officers arrived,” police said.
Dig deeper:
Police secured the home and obtained a search warrant. Investigators then began processing the crime scene.
“Evidence collected provided investigators with a person of interest who may have been present when the shootings occurred,” police said. “Investigators located the person of interest and interviewed him but did not initially charge him with any crimes related to the double homicide investigation.”
The next day, the person of interest was arrested and booked into jail. He’s accused of two counts of first-degree murder.
What we don’t know:
No identities were released. Police didn’t release any details on what led up to the shooting.
Local perspective:
Police “do not believe there is any remaining threat to the community, as the alleged suspect and the weapon allegedly used have been seized by law enforcement.”
What you can do:
If anyone has information related to the investigation, they advise contacting Detective Terry TerEick at ttereick@pageaz.gov.
Map of the cross streets where the shooting occurred:
The Source: Information for this article was gathered from the Page Police Department’s Facebook page.
Arizona Diamondbacks (45-45, second in the NL West) vs. San Diego Padres (44-46, third in the NL West)
San Diego; Tuesday, 9:40 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Diamondbacks: Zac Gallen (0-0); Padres: TBD
LINE: Padres -131, Diamondbacks +108; over/under is 8 1/2 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The San Diego Padres are looking to end their three-game home slide with a victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
San Diego has a 44-46 record overall and a 23-22 record at home. The Padres have a 26-13 record in games when they record at least eight hits.
Arizona is 45-45 overall and 18-25 on the road. The Diamondbacks have gone 16-4 in games when they hit two or more home runs.
The teams match up Tuesday for the fourth time this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Manny Machado has 16 doubles and 18 home runs for the Padres. Fernando Tatis Jr. is 11 for 43 with three doubles, two home runs and five RBIs over the last 10 games.
Ketel Marte has 18 doubles, three triples and 17 home runs for the Diamondbacks. Geraldo Perdomo is 13 for 39 with three doubles and two home runs over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Padres: 1-9, .255 batting average, 8.02 ERA, outscored by 51 runs
Diamondbacks: 4-6, .222 batting average, 3.84 ERA, outscored by one run
INJURIES: Padres: Jason Adam: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Randy Vasquez: 15-Day IL (ankle), Freddy Fermin: 10-Day IL (head), Matt Waldron: 15-Day IL (arm), David Morgan: 15-Day IL (knee), Jeremiah Estrada: 15-Day IL (knee), Lucas Giolito: 15-Day IL (elbow), Nick Pivetta: 60-Day IL (elbow), Joe Musgrove: 60-Day IL (elbow), Ramon Laureano: 60-Day IL (hip), Bryan Hoeing: 60-Day IL (elbow)
Diamondbacks: James McCann: 10-Day IL (quadricep), Blake Walston: 60-Day IL (elbow), Jordan Lawlar: 10-Day IL (hamstring), A.J. Puk: 60-Day IL (elbow), Ryne Nelson: 60-Day IL (elbow), Mike Soroka: 15-Day IL (lower body), Corbin Burnes: 60-Day IL (elbow), Cristian Mena: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Andrew Saalfrank: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Justin Martinez: 60-Day IL (elbow)
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
MESA, AZ — For many seniors, scam texts and phone calls can be confusing, intimidating, and costly.
One Mesa teenager believes getting help shouldn’t be.
BASIS Mesa student Shilo Karakkattu created ScamSafe after watching older family members struggle to sort through suspicious messages.
The goal is straightforward: help people avoid becoming the next victim of fraud.
For many seniors, scam texts and phone calls can be confusing, intimidating, and costly. Karakkattu saw that the problem was affecting people he loves and decided to create a solution.
Now, organizations that work with seniors are taking notice of his invention, which could soon help thousands of people across Arizona stay one step ahead of scammers.
Watch in the player above to see the remarkable student whose latest project is protecting some of Arizona’s most vulnerable residents.
Want more news in your community? Add ABC15 as a preferred source on Google below:
-
North Carolina2 minutes agoNorth Carolina man accused of shooting and killing another tourist inside of a Broward Airbnb, police say
-
North Dakota5 minutes agoGov. Armstrong seeks federal disaster declaration after storms cause $4.6M in damage across North Dakota
-
Ohio10 minutes agoSiders’ Ohio house of horrors: locals react to ‘den of evil’
-
Oklahoma17 minutes agoNCAA Not Done with Kashie Natt, Oklahoma State After Legal Ruling
-
Oregon20 minutes agoA Song Gives a Look Into Oregon’s Largest Juvenile Corrections Facility
-
Pennsylvania25 minutes agoFederal lawsuit: Conviction for small amount of marijuana should not preclude getting a license to carry a firearm
-
Rhode Island32 minutes agoWhat will happen at the 2026 Rhode Island State Amateur? History.
-
South-Carolina35 minutes agoOh, Goodbye: Four-Star South Carolina RB Aiden Gibson Flips To Rutgers
