Kurt is a 2004 graduate of Freedom High School and a 2009 graduate of West Virginia University. Brenner was a three-time WPIAL, three-time Southwest Region, and a three-time PIAA Class AA state champion at 171 pounds while competing for head coach John Rosa. In 2002, Brenner won his first state title after outlasting Bloomsburg’s Dan Edmonds, 9-7 in overtime.  The following year, in 2003, he repeated as state champion, topping Middleburg’s Nate Shirk in the final 12-8 and edging Juniata’s Phil Bomberger in the semi-finals, 6-5.  In 2004, Brenner repeated mastery over Bomberger, defeating the Juniata senior in the championship finals, 7-2.  He was a four-year starter and three-year captain at Freedom, where he set a career mark of 151-13. He was runner-up in the 2004 NHSCA Senior Nationals. Brenner participated in the 2004 Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic, losing to Indiana’s Blake Maurer, 8-6 in overtime.  Brenner was a four-year starter and two-year captain at West Virginia University, where he compiled a 95-32 record. He was a four-time national qualifier and three-time EWL Champion. He also competed in freestyle and Greco-Roman and was a seven-time All-American, four-time finalist, and two-time national champion.  He was inducted into the Southwestern Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2011.