| Bob Fornelli | |
| Current Title: | Head coach |
| Current Team: | Pittsburg State |
| Current Conference: | The MIAA |
| Contract: | $81,318[1] |
| Birth Date: | 9 August 1966 |
| Birth Place: | Lenexa, Kansas |
| Player Years1: | 1988–1991 |
| Player Team1: | Emporia State |
| Player Positions: | Catcher[2] |
| Coach Years1: | 1991–1996 |
| Coach Team1: | Butler CC (pitching) |
| Coach Years2: | 1996–2003 |
| Coach Team2: | Fort Hays State |
| Coach Years3: | 2004–2018 |
| Coach Team3: | Emporia State |
| Coach Years4: | 2019–present |
| Coach Team4: | Pittsburg State |
| 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) |
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.
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]
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]
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]
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]