Setter Megan Renner moved into a new role as a student assistant with the Purdue volleyball squad after medically retiring due to her second ACL tear during the team's 2023 spring season.
Renner was set to have a breakout season guiding the Boilermakers in the 2023 campaign. After starting 19 matches last year, including 9 of the last 12, the Cedar Rapids, Iowa native set career-bests in virtually every statistical category, including 54 assists vs. Utah and five kills at Michigan. Renner retires from collegiate athletics with three double-doubles, 749 career assists and 55 kills. She is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar.
"My athletic career at Purdue has been anything but linear, at times filled with more downs than ups, as injury has been something I can't seem to escape," Renner said. "Due to the timing of this injury, I would not be back in time for season. After lots of conversations and prayer, I have decided it is best that I medically retire. I will have reconstruction surgery next week to get myself back on the upward mend. I cannot put into words how difficult this has been on me and what I am brokenheartedly saying goodbye to. Every athlete's time has an expiration date, I just wasn't expecting mine to come so soon. I am beyond proud of my time at Purdue and the relationships that I have made. I am thankful for my teammates and coaches who have pushed me to be the player I had become up until that last moment. I am ever blessed with the help and guidance of our athletic trainer Stephanie Medina, who has been there for me since the first ACL tear in 2020 and all the nagging injuries since. My time at Purdue as a player may be finished, but I am certainly not done with being involved in this program. I can't wait to see all of Boiler Nation in Holloway this fall, just in a different role. Ever grateful, ever true. Boiler Up!"
2021 / AS A REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE
SPRING 2021 / AS A REDSHIRT FRESHMAN
2019 / AS A FRESHMAN
Redshirted the 2019 season
HIGH SCHOOL
PERSONAL
Renner was set to have a breakout season guiding the Boilermakers in the 2023 campaign. After starting 19 matches last year, including 9 of the last 12, the Cedar Rapids, Iowa native set career-bests in virtually every statistical category, including 54 assists vs. Utah and five kills at Michigan. Renner retires from collegiate athletics with three double-doubles, 749 career assists and 55 kills. She is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar.
"My athletic career at Purdue has been anything but linear, at times filled with more downs than ups, as injury has been something I can't seem to escape," Renner said. "Due to the timing of this injury, I would not be back in time for season. After lots of conversations and prayer, I have decided it is best that I medically retire. I will have reconstruction surgery next week to get myself back on the upward mend. I cannot put into words how difficult this has been on me and what I am brokenheartedly saying goodbye to. Every athlete's time has an expiration date, I just wasn't expecting mine to come so soon. I am beyond proud of my time at Purdue and the relationships that I have made. I am thankful for my teammates and coaches who have pushed me to be the player I had become up until that last moment. I am ever blessed with the help and guidance of our athletic trainer Stephanie Medina, who has been there for me since the first ACL tear in 2020 and all the nagging injuries since. My time at Purdue as a player may be finished, but I am certainly not done with being involved in this program. I can't wait to see all of Boiler Nation in Holloway this fall, just in a different role. Ever grateful, ever true. Boiler Up!"
2021 / AS A REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
- Saw action in 13 sets over nine matches
- Totaled 35 assists over the season for 2.69 per set
- Appeared in all three sets in the 3-0 sweep vs. Rutgers (10/2)
- Registered a career-best 10 assists vs. Rutgers (10/2)
- Set a career-high two kills on three attempts vs. Jacksonville St. (9/17) while going errorless
- Served up an ace vs. Purdue Fort Wayne (9/17)
- Recorded five block assists over the season
SPRING 2021 / AS A REDSHIRT FRESHMAN
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
- Saw action in six matches
- Recorded an assist vs. Northwestern (2/19/21) and vs. Indiana (2/28/21)
- Accumulated a career-high seven sets in the Monon Spike match vs. Indiana (2/28/21). In the match, Renner notched her first career kill on one attempt
- Added a dig in the win vs. Indiana (2/28/21)
2019 / AS A FRESHMAN
Redshirted the 2019 season
HIGH SCHOOL
- Member of the 2019 signing class that ranked eighth in the nation by PrepVolleyball
- Ranked 45th in PrepVolleyball's 2018 Top 100 Seniors
- 2018 AVCA Under Armour All-American third-team selection
- Four-year letterwinner in volleyball, basketball and track and field at Linn-Mar High School
- Named Iowa's 2018 Senior All-Star
- Directed the Lions to consecutive 5A state semifinal appearances (2017-18)
- Recorded 220 kills and 478 assists as a senior
- Two-time 5A first-team All-State selection (2017-18)
- 2017 East All-District honoree
- Designated to the 2017 5A State All-Tournament team
- Guided the Iowa Rockets to a bronze finish at the 2018 USAV Junior National Championships
- Selected to the 2018 USAV Junior National Championships National Division All-Tournament team
- Four-time Academic Honoree with Distinction
PERSONAL
- Full name: Megan Amanda Renner
- City Born: Grapevine, Texas
- Parents: Dan and Ann Renner
- Siblings: Mason (brother) and Sarah (sister)
- Sister Sarah plays volleyball at Georgia State