We continue our countdown of the 2015 Preseason Top 25 Volleyball Rankings, presented by Asics, with No. 4, Aliso Niguel.
Be sure to
check out the previous teams, and come back as we continue to release the top volleyball teams in the country entering the 2015 season.
Aliso Niguel head coach Don Pedro Butler (far left) and assistant coach Casey Quiggle (far right) possess a roster loaded with experienced players (left to right) Rachelle Runyon, Ashley Edson, Katie Kerins, Kathryn Plummer, Kirsten Battle, McKenna Ross, Alee Wise and K.K. Booher.
Photos by Heston Quan
Southern Section D-IA
2014 record: 29-2
Head coach: Don Pedro Butler
Key Returnee: Kathryn Plummer (Stanford): The 6-foot-6 all-around standout can play front row or setter. She hits, she sets and she blocks. She is a member of the USA Junior Women's team. Plummer helped lead the Wolverines to the CIF-SS D-1A title when she had 244 kills, 34 aces, 123 digs and 472 assists. In the CIF-SS final against Santiago (Corona), Plummer had 23 kills, six blocks, 11 digs and 20 assists. She was named to the MaxPreps Underclass All-American team.
Other Returnees: 5-11 senior
McKenna Ross, 6-2 junior
Kirsten Battle, libero
Rachelle Runyon, OH
Ashley Edson, and DS
Alee Wise. Juniors MB
Katie Kerins and OPP
K.K. Booher.
Key Losses: MaxPreps All-American Lindsey Ruddins (UC-Santa Barbara).
2015 Outlook: While things revolve around the super-talented Plummer, Battle and Ross are standout players as well. With Plummer on the court, the Wolverines have gone 54-7 the last two seasons.
2015 Toughest Opponent: Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) lost a lot of talent, but always reloads — a half-dozen six-footers, led by junior Shannon Scully (San Diego commit) return.
Notable: If incoming freshman GiGi Ruddins makes the varsity, she will be the third Ruddins to play for Butler following sisters Elise (USC) and Lindsey (UCSB).
View entire Aliso Niguel preseason photo shoot galleryCoach's comment: "We have the experience and will, so it will be up to the chemistry and 'X' factors of veterans and newcomers to step up and mesh to work together," said Butler. "Looking forward to it."
