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West Carteret volleyball standout middle hitter Megan Kenon has been named Student-Athlete of the Week. (J.J. Smith photo)
West Carteret volleyball standout middle hitter Megan Kenon has been named Student-Athlete of the Week. (J.J. Smith photo)
MOREHEAD CITY — Megan Kenon is quickly approaching a one-year anniversary.
The West Carteret senior middle hitter tore her ACL on Sept. 28, 2021 in a home volleyball match versus Croatan.
“It’s going to be emotional,” she said. “We actually play Croatan the night before on the 27th. I will definitely be thinking about it that night, but I’m going to try and put it in the back of my mind.”
Kenon noted the mental recovery from the injury has been as tough as the physical. She will land after a jump and sometimes get a little twinge in her knee.
“I just have to shake it off, because I know it’s not anything bad,” she said. “It’s just scar tissue, and I have to wipe it out of my mind and keep going.”
Her return has been an unqualified success. The Patriots have gone 5-1 in the early part of the season with Kenon leading the way. She has 47 kills, which is 13 more than anyone on the team, and 12 blocks, which is six more than anyone on the team.
“I’m 100 percent,” she said. “I just have to wear a brace when I play, but I am right back where I was – if not better. I’m very confident in my abilities and my ability to lead my team.”
The time off the court actually proved valuable. She watched practices and games during her rehabilitation, improving her court vision and learning more about emotions of the game. It also helped her appreciate volleyball more.
“It has definitely made me a better player,” she said. “I wish I could have finished my junior year, but this year is going so well. And there isn’t much I would change about this year, so if I had to go through my junior year to get here, it is worth it. I did not know how much I loved this sport until I couldn’t play.”
Kenon was shining during her junior year when she landed awkwardly and her knee buckled in the contest versus Croatan. The 6-1 powerhouse had 117 kills and 36 blocks in the previous eight games.
“It was mind-blowing, because it’s one of those injuries that you think is never going to happen to you,” she said. “I knew it was bad when it happened. It was a really, really bad pain. It was definitely one of the roughest experiences I’ve ever had.”
An MRI the next morning revealed the damage. She called coach Michael Turner to let him know the news.
“There were lots of tears,” she said. “It took a big emotional toll. I still went to every practice and every game. Sitting on the sidelines watching is definitely not something I ever wanted to go through, but at least I could be there for my team.”
The first major surgery of her life provided a moment of fear, but she soon changed her mindset and decided to think of it as the first step to getting back. After the ACL was repaired on Oct. 15, 2021, she started on the physical therapy path. Kenon found the recovery challenging, but after six months she was running, and that development opened up a whole new world.
“As soon as I started running, I started jumping, and I was going to club practices and doing a little bit of hitting, and it just went straight up from there,” she said. “I felt a lot more like myself, because not being able to do that for six months was not easy.”
She started playing volleyball when she was 9 and immediately fell in love with the sport. After also playing basketball and running track in middle school, Kenon decided to focus solely on volleyball in high school. Despite her prodigious talent, she’s decided to focus solely on academics in college.
“School has always been a very high priority, especially knowing I’ve wanted to go into the medical field,” said the standout student with a 4.42 GPA. “Playing volleyball in college has been a goal, and I would love to do it, but I’ve talked to lots and lots and lots of college athletes, and I’ve learned it’s hard to balance. And as much as I love volleyball, I need to focus on academics.”
Kenon plans on attending UNC Chapel Hill and center on a medical major. She hopes to become an anesthesiologist in the future.
“I always wanted to go into the medical field, but I am not the type of person who wants to cut into people, because that makes me a little queasy, so I’ll just watch,” she said. “I think it would be really cool to do.”
Here are a few of Kenon’s favorite things, as well as her ideal groups with which to eat dinner and survive a zombie apocalypse, and the five items she would take with her on a deserted island:
Favorite TV Show: “Stranger Things.”
Favorite Band/Artist: The Weeknd.
Favorite Song: “Ball w/o You” by 21 Savage.
Favorite Book: “The Giver” by Lois Lowry.
Favorite Team: North Carolina Tar Heels.
Favorite Hobby: “Going out on the boat.”
Favorite Quote: “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” – Dr. Seuss.
Favorite Sports Memory: “Driving all the way to D.H. Conley on the wrong day because (coach Michael) Turner mixed up our jamboree days.”
Favorite Teacher: Mr. Cory Noe.
Favorite Pre-Game/Post-Game Ritual: “Having Maddie (Mansfield) stretch my jersey sleeves before every game.”
Favorite Follow on Social Media: @uncvolleyball on Instagram.
Ideal Dinner Guest List: Michael Jordan, Chris Hemsworth, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Adele and Zendaya.
Ideal Group to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse: Sophie Bates, Ardan Fredeen, Maddie Mansfield, Graysen Fredeen, Chloe Lewis and Christina Curley.
Items For A Deserted Island: A case of Dr. Pepper, warm blanket, water purifier, matches and a knife.
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