Columbus, Ga (WRBL) – The Pacelli Vikings had some big shoes to fill once Bobby Howard, a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, left for a new coaching opportunity in Florida. The Vikings replaced that Hall of Famer with another Hall of Famer from East Alabama.
Former Chattahoochee Valley Community College head baseball coach and athletic director Adam Thomas will become the new Pacelli Baseball head coach. The Smiths Station native has led the Pirates since 2003. So at 23 years old, Coach Thomas started his head coaching career in Phenix City. He had to step down from his role as CVCC’s head coach due to personal health reasons. When his career ended with the Pirates Thomas had an overall record of 758-358. He helped bring four Region 22 Championships and led two of his teams to a third place finish in the Junior College World Series.

Pacelli Athletic Director Corry Black was elated that Coach Thomas will lead the Vikings baseball team and talked about what he’ll bring to campus, and what he can provide for future baseball players.

“I’m a recruiter so I have to go out and recruit the best. You know trying to replace Coach Howard was never going to be an easy task, but we go blessed here at Pacelli. God blessed us with Coach Thomas. Coach has over 200 kids that got to college. He got some in the pros. So come here, trust him and work your tail off. You never know what may happen,” said Corry Black.

“I’m a recruiter so I have to go out and recruit the best. You know trying to replace Coach Howard was never going to be an easy task. But we got blessed here at Pacelli. God blessed us with Coach Thomas. Coach has over 200 kids that got to college. He got some in the pros. So come here, trust him and work your tail off. You never know what may happen.”

Corry Black, St. Anne Pacelli Athletic Director

Pacelli will introduce Coach Thomas during a press conference on Monday, July 11th at 1:30 pm