Known by his students and colleagues as "Scooter", Renninger joined the Athletics
and Physical Education staff in 1978. Renninger retired from Westminster in the spring of 2014 after serving for 36 years in the Department of Athletics and Physical Education. His career as a coach at Westminster including 27 years as an assistant football coach and one year as co-head coach, 21 seasons as head baseball coach, 15 years as head men's tennis coach and nine years as head women's tennis coach.
Renninger, who was a four-time PAC Women's Tennis Coach of the Year, led the Titan women to their first PAC championship in school history in 2012 and their first trip to the NCAA Tournament following a second straight PAC title in 2013. He also coached the first undefeated season by a women's team in any sport at Westminster when the 2011 team posted an 18-0 mark.
During his coaching tenure, Renninger was a part of the longest two winning streaks by Westminster teams in school history. The Titan football team won 27 straight games en route to back-to-back national championships in 1988 and 1989 while his women's tennis team ran off 31 straight wins over the course of the 2011 and 2012 seasons. Renninger was also an assistant coach with the 1994 national championship football team.
His baseball coaching career was highlighted by the 1982 team that set the record for most wins in one season (27), a mark that stood until 2012. The 1982 team's .771 winning percentage remains the top mark in Titan baseball history since the 1961 team posted an 11-2 mark (.846). Renninger was named the NAIA D-18 Baseball Coach of the Year following that exceptional 1982 season.
Over his 36 years at Westminster, "Scooter" was actively involved with numerous campus committees and organizations, most notably his 30-year involvement with the Intra-Fraternity Council. He remains involved with IFC today.
Renninger was a graduate of Heidelberg College in 1966, earning a degree in health and physical education. He earned his Master's Degree in health, physical education, and recreation from Eastern Michigan in 1973. He was a professor of physical education at Westminster and was granted faculty emeritus status upon his retirement from the college in the spring of 2014.
"Scooter" and his wife Phyllis reside in New Wilmington, PA. They have three children, Angie, Donald III, and T.J, a grandson, Scotty, and two granddaughters, Etta Lee and Amelia Rae.
