Purdue outside hitter Kenna Wollard shared a deeply personal update on Thursday, revealing that she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in August and saying her treatments are moving in the right direction.
In a post on her Instagram page, the All-American said she learned the news this week that her treatments are working and that she is on track to remission.
"I'm ready to share that this past August I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Today, I found out that the treatments are working and I am on track to remission," Wollard shared.
"These past couple months have been so tough but hearing the news today brought so much joy. I still have some treatments left, but I am very hopeful for what's ahead.
"I never would have thought I would be spending my senior year this way, but I do believe everything happens for a reason and this is God's way of making me a stronger, better person."
Wollard had played in Purdue’s first exhibition game of the season, but she was not available for the second. Then, just before the Boilermakers opened their season against Creighton, she announced she would step away from the team to focus on her health.
Her teammates have shown their support in a visible way, wearing periwinkle hair ribbons, which Wollard has said is her favorite color. More recently, she has been back around the group more often and traveled with Purdue on its West Coast trip for matches against Oregon and Washington.
There has also been emotional support from the sideline. Earlier this season, Purdue coach Dave Shondell became the all-time winningest coach in any sport at the school when the Boilermakers swept Texas A&M. The victory was his 513th career match, pushing him past former men's basketball coach Gene Keady for the Purdue record.
Even with the milestone in hand, Shondell made it clear where his thoughts were after the match.
"This is about Kenna Wollard," Shondell said, fighting back emotion. "This is about Kenna Wollard and what she means to this team."
Wollard later returned to Mackey Arena the following night, showing up to support Purdue against Georgia. After time away from the program, her presence brought a lift to her teammates.
"Kenna is a big part of our team. She's all of our best friends," Grace Heaney said. "We love her, and we love to see her."
"Seeing her beautiful face out there was amazing," Taylor Anderson added. "I hope everyone loved seeing her, too."
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