Pepperdine University has announced that Alli Rust will join its women’s volleyball program as an assistant coach. Head Coach Scott Wong shared the news, stating, “I am glad to officially welcome Alli Rust back to Malibu to recruit, mentor, teach, and coach these amazing young women that we get to be a part of their lives. Alli excelled at Pepperdine as a student-athlete on and off the court and she from day one makes our program even stronger!”
Before her return to Pepperdine, Rust served as an assistant coach at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho. During her tenure there, she contributed to outside hitter Abby Black earning First Team All-GNAC honors for the 2025 season. She also played a role in developing middle blocker Hailey Cheney, who was named GNAC Offensive Player of the Week on October 13, 2025, and received an All-Conference Honorable Mention.
Rust’s coaching experience includes two seasons as head coach for Centennial High School’s varsity team in Boise. She was also involved with Idaho ONE Volleyball Club and led the club’s 17 Elite team to its first national championship in 2024.
Expressing her enthusiasm about returning to Pepperdine, Rust said, “I am so excited to return to Pepperdine, an amazing place that shaped me both as a student-athlete and a person. This program played such a pivotal role in my growth, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to invest in the next generation of Waves!”
Rust began her collegiate playing career at Pepperdine from 2017 through 2020 under her maiden name Alli O’Harra. She earned spots on both the WCC All-Freshman Team and WCC All-Academic teams and helped lead Pepperdine to two NCAA Tournament appearances. In 2021, she transferred to Boise State University as a graduate student-athlete and contributed significantly during BSU’s first Mountain West Tournament Championship run.
A native of Boise and graduate of Centennial High School in 2017, Rust had been recognized multiple times with All-Southern Idaho Conference honors during her high school years. Her club experience included helping teams secure regional championships and competing nationally.
Pepperdine women’s volleyball is among the most successful programs on the West Coast since its inception in 1981. The Waves have appeared in 26 NCAA Tournaments and claimed 12 West Coast Conference titles. The program has produced several All-Americans across six decades and multiple Olympians; notably Kim Hill won gold at the Tokyo Olympics.
