Bob Fornelli

Robert William Fornelli (born August 9, 1966) is an American college baseball coach and current head baseball coach at Pittsburg State University. Previously, Fornelli coached at his alma mater Emporia State University from 2004 to 2018 where he guided the Hornets to five Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association regular season championships and two conference tournament championships, 13 trips to the NCAA Tournament, two World Series appearances and a national runner-up finish.[3] Fornelli was the coach at Fort Hays State from 1996 to 2003.

Bob Fornelli
Fornelli during an ESU game in 2016
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamPittsburg State
ConferenceThe MIAA
Record31–21 (.596)
Annual salary$81,318[1]
Biographical details
Born (1966-08-09) August 9, 1966
Lenexa, Kansas
Playing career
1988–1991Emporia State
Position(s)Catcher[2]
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1991–1996Butler CC (pitching)
1996–2003Fort Hays State
2004–2018Emporia State
2019–presentPittsburg State
Head coaching record
Overall936–392 (.705)
Tournaments22–26 (.458)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
5 MIAA regular season
2 MIAA Tournament
4 RMAC regular season
1 RMAC Tournament
Awards
2× RMAC Coach of the Year (1997, 2000)
West Region Coach of the Year (2000)

Career

After graduating from Emporia State in 1991 and playing four years at Emporia State, Fornelli spent five seasons as Butler Community College's pitching coach.[4]

Fort Hays State

In 1996, Fornelli became head coach of the Fort Hays State Tigers. During his seven years, Fornelli compiled a 306–113 record. In 2003, the Tigers won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference regular season and postseason tournament titles. Fornelli is the winningest coach in FHSU history and led the Tigers to the RMAC championship four times in his seven years. Fornelli led FHSU to the NCAA Division II national championship game in 2000 and was in the NCAA regional tournament six times.[5]

Emporia State

In May 2003, Fornelli left Fort Hays State for his alma mater.[6] former Emporia State player under Embery, was named the head coach.[7] Since 2004, Fornelli has taken the Hornets to the NCAA Tournament 10 times, have made 2 World Series appearances and a national runner-up finish in 2009.[8] The Hornets finished the 2006 season by winning the MIAA Regular Season Championship and NCAA Central Region Championship, as well as advancing to the school's first NCAA World Series appearance.[9]

In 2009, the Hornets advanced to the school's first NCAA national championship game in Cary, North Carolina.[10] In 2014, the Hornets won the MIAA Tournament, and earned another trip to the NCAA Tournament. In 2016, Fornelli picked up his 800th overall win.[11]

On April 25, 2018, Fornelli became the winningest head baseball coach in Emporia State history with 558 wins.[12] A week later on May 6, 2018, Fornelli captured his 900th win overall.[13]

Pittsburg State

On June 4, 2018, local radio station KVOE (AM) reported that Fornelli had accepted the head coaching job at in-state MIAA rival, Pittsburg State University, after 15 seasons at his alma mater.[14] He was formally introduced the next day, June 5.[15]

Head coach record

References
  1. "Kansas Government Employee Payroll List". Kansasopengov.org. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  2. "Hornet coming home?". Emporia Gazette. Archived from the original on July 29, 2012.
  3. "Emporia State University Athletics - 2016 Baseball Coaching Staff". Esuhornets.com. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  4. "May 14, 2014". KVOE. May 14, 2014. Archived from the original on June 17, 2016. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  5. Corbitt, Ken (May 24, 2003). "Fornelli leaves FHSU for Emporia State". Archived from the original on March 5, 2017. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  6. "25 May 2003, Page 13 - The Hays Daily News at". Newspapers.com. May 25, 2003. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  7. Corbitt, Ken (May 24, 2003). "Fornelli leaves FHSU for Emporia State". CJOnline.com. Archived from the original on March 5, 2017. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  8. "Emporia State University Athletics – Staff Directory". Archived from the original on July 25, 2015. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  9. Michael Ashford (May 19, 2008). "ESU baseball ends season with 17–14 loss to UNO – Emporia Gazette: ESU". Emporia Gazette. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  10. "Lynn Defeats Emporia State, 2–1". NCAA.com. November 30, 2010. Archived from the original on July 25, 2015. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  11. Gasper, Matt (March 1, 2016). "ESU's Bob Fornelli picks up 800th career win, Hornets top Newman | KSNT News". Ksnt.com. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  12. Lilly, Chris. "ESU baseball coach Bob Fornelli becomes program's winningest coach". Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  13. Gasper, Matt (May 9, 2018). "ESU baseball celebrates Coach Fornelli's 900th win". Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  14. Rahe, Greg. "Emporia State baseball coach Bob Fornelli offered job at Pitt State". kvoe.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  15. Coleman, Stephen. "Change of tenure". The Emporia Gazette. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
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