PHOENIX — Sun Devil Baseball wasted no time in taking advantage of new NCAA legislation allowing for a third paid assistant coach beginning with the 2023-24 season, with head coach Willie Bloomquist naming Central Arizona College head coach Anthony Gilich to the position today.
Gilich reached unprecedented heights as the head coach of the Vaqueros after being elevated to the role in 2015, winning two NJCAA National Championships (2019, 2022) and appearing in a third (2021) after serving as associate head coach with the program from 2008-14.
“Anthony brings two decades of immense baseball knowledge to our program and has experienced nothing but success in the process,” Bloomquist said. “He is someone that will immediately elevate our coaching staff and bring a wealth of baseball IQ with him, both on the field and as a recruiter and we are excited to welcome him to our program. I always want to thank Ray Anderson and the Sun Devil Athletics administration for recognizing the importance of this position and making the resources available to make it a reality.”
Gilich was the ABCA National Coach of the Year in 2019 and 2022, collecting a 395-132 all-time head coaching record at CAC – a .749 winning percentage that is the best all-time with the program.
“I can’t thank Coach Bloomquist, Ray Anderson, Graham Rossini and everyone involved with giving me the opportunity to be a part of this storied program,” Gilich said. ” I am excited to get to work and be a Sun Devil.”
Gilich has seen 47 players drafted in his tenure with 223 players going on to commit to four-year colleges. In his tenure as head coach, over 20 over those that went to four-year colleges would go on to be drafted as well. Four of his players have gone on to play in the MLB. Central Arizona has had at least three players in each draft from 2016-2023 minus the 2017 (two) and COVID-19 shortened 2020 Draft.
The four-time ACCAC Coach of the Year (2016, 2021, 2022, 2023) has seen eight players named the conference National Player of the Year in his time at CAC and two National Player/Pitchers of the Year. Six players have earned NJCAARawlings National Gold Glove Award Winners. While Gilich was the infield coach during his assistant year, Central Arizona set a then NJCAA all-time record with a .977 season fielding percentage in 2008.
Gilich has built extensive recruiting relationships throughout Texas, California, Arizona, and Washington during his coaching…
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