Former Emporia State baseball coach Bob Fornelli has been selected to the 2026 class of the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame. The Lenexa native coached at three programs in the Sunflower State and has over 1,000 career wins. Fornelli played collegiately at Emporia State and joined the staff at Butler County Community College following graduation as a pitching coach. He became head coach at Fort Hays State in 1996 and led the Tigers to four RMAC titles and a national runner-up finish in the 2000 College World Series. He then spent 15 seasons as the head coach of the Hornets leading the Black & Gold to five MIAA titles and a national runner-up finish in 2009. He then coached at Pittsburg State for seven seasons and retired following the 2025 season. He won 599 games in Emporia and is the winningest coach in ESU and Fort Hays State history and the second winningest in Pitt State history. Fornelli’s career record stands at 1120-495.
Former Hornet Baseball Coach Bob Fornelli Selected for Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame
Bob Fornelli coaches the Hornets. Courtesy ESU Athletics.
