DAILY PILOT DREAM TEAM:

When Megan Munce came out for the girls’ volleyball team at Newport Harbor High three years ago, running a mile under seven minutes was the last thing on her mind.

But to receive a varsity jersey as a freshman, Munce had to do it. She barely broke eight minutes on her first try. She cut her times on her next attempts, but still missed the team requirement.

Newport Harbor Coach Dan Glenn gave Munce one more shot before the season opener that year. There she was, two hours before the match, running on the track while her teammates dressed and prepared inside the gym.

“It was either go along with it, or don’t make it,” said Munce, who dislikes distance running. “I went along with it and finally made it because I wanted to be a part of the team.”

Now Munce is part of the Newport-Mesa Dream Team for the second time, this time earning Player of the Year as a senior in an area loaded with talent.

The award easily could’ve gone to any of Munce’s senior teammates, setter Alesha Young, middle blocker Alex Penewell, or outside hitter Jamie Heenan, all Dream Team selections. But the Texas Christian University-bound opposite played big at key times and finished with a team-leading 245 kills and added 140 digs, 63 assists, 31 blocks and 10 services aces.

Munce, a left-hander, contributed to the Sailors’ success. They won a share of the Sunset League championship for the second straight year and advanced to the CIF Southern Section Division I-AA semifinals, the school’s first semis appearance in three years, where they almost upset unbeaten Mira Costa of Manhattan Beach, the No. 1-ranked team in the country.

In the match that clinched at least a share of the league crown, Munce recorded a team-high 15 kills as Newport Harbor (26-4, 9-1 in league) swept two-time defending Division I state champ Los Alamitos on the road.

During the postseason she led the team with 65 kills, including a team-high 18 kills against Mira Costa.

“Beating Los Alamitos twice in my last two years were my most memorable moments,” said Munce, a first-team All-Sunset League pick. “I’m going to miss my teammates, the competition, and Coach Glenn for pushing me all the time, but I won’t miss running the mile before the season despite being able to run it under seven minutes now.

“The first question I asked TCU Coach [Prentice] Lewis was if we had to run the mile to make the team. She said no. So that was a plus in me deciding early on to play at TCU.”

Here is a closer look at the honorees:

Alesha Young Newport Harbor, Senior

The Loyola Marymount University-bound setter utilized the plethora of talent around her by constantly delivering precise passes to Megan Munce, Alesha Young and Alex Penewell. The Sunset League Co-MVP finished with a team-high 839 assists and added 219 digs, 39 kills, 32 blocks and 30 aces. Young’s top performances came against the best, defending two-time Division I state champ Los Alamitos and defending two-time Division II champ Mira Costa. Her best all-around match was during a sweep at Los Alamitos that clinched at least a share of Newport Harbor’s second straight league title. Young finished with 30 assists, 10 digs, six kills and four blocks. This is Young’s second straight Dream Team.

Jamie Heenan Newport Harbor, Senior

The senior outside hitter proved to be one of the more dynamic hitters. The first-team All-Sunset League selection lifted Newport Harbor early in its pursuit of reaching its first section final in four years when the Sailors won the first two games at Mira Costa during the CIF Southern Section Division I-AA semifinals. She recorded 13 kills, giving the nation’s top-ranked team a scare before Mira Costa bounced back from almost dropping its first match of the year. Heenan finished with 216 kills, 153 digs and 42 service aces. She played well in the playoffs, averaging 15 kills in her last three matches. This is Heenan’s first Dream Team.

Alex Penewell Newport Harbor, Senior

The senior middle blocker stuffed any chance that rival Los Alamitos would finally win an outright Sunset League championship. The first-team All-Sunset League pick played well down the stretch, helping the Sailors finish as co-league champs for the second straight year as they swept Los Alamitos on the road in the final week before the playoffs. During Newport Harbor’s CIF Southern Section Division I-AA run that ended in a heartbreaking five-game road loss in the semifinals to the No. 1-ranked team in the country, Mira Costa, Penewell recorded double figures in kills every time. Penewell, who finished with 207 kills and 57 blocks, plans to walk-on at the University of Colorado. This is Penewell’s first Dream Team.

Kara Chatham Corona del Mar, Senior

The senior outside hitter turned into one of the Sea Kings’ biggest hitters, leading the seniors with 175 kills. The first-team All-Pacific Coast League selection stepped up after CdM lost two outstanding hitters, Juliane Piggott (UCLA) and Kelly Christian (Washington), to graduation. Chatham delivered a strong performance during the opening round of the CIF State Division III Southern California Regional playoffs at Cathedral Catholic of San Diego. She blasted a team-high 24 kills in a thrilling five-game match featuring a 38-36 Game 3, the longest in Coach Bill Christiansen’s 27-year coaching career and his last with CdM as he resigned. This is Chatham’s first Dream Team.

Madie Smith Corona del Mar, Sophomore

Following in the footsteps of her phenomenal sisters, Morgan and Jordan, Smith elevated her play as a setter during a time most sophomores usually don’t, the postseason. The Pacific Coast League Player of the Year set the tempo for the Sea Kings (18-12, 7-0 in league) resulting in a second straight undefeated league championship season. Smith recorded a team-high 735 assists and was second best with 265 digs, allowing CdM to almost sweep every league match this season and advance to the CIF Southern Section Division II-AA semifinals and the CIF State Division III Southern California Regional playoffs. This is Smith’s first Dream Team.

Annie Tomasek Estancia, Junior

The junior outside hitter was an offensive and defensive force for Estancia (19-13, 4-3 in the Orange Coast League). The first-team All-Orange Coast League pick led the team with 277 kills and 260 digs as Estancia for the second straight year finished second in league and advanced to the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division II-AA playoffs. In the opening round, Tomasek showcased her versatility, moving from her usual left side to the right to record a team-high 12 kills and slow down the opposition’s best player to lead the Eagles past Rowland, 25-18, 14-25, 25-17, 25-21. This is Tomasek’s first Dream Team.

Megan Munce Newport Harbor, Senior

The left-handed senior opposite always seemed to beat the opposition, whether with a hammering kill, a sneaky dump, or a wicked service ace. The first-team All-Sunset League pick is headed to Texas Christian University, which just finished 22-12, recording the second most wins in the Fort Worth, Texas-based school’s history. Munce led the team with 245 kills and Newport Harbor to a share of the league title for the second straight year. Munce was a major reason why the Sailors advanced to the CIF Southern Section Division I-AA semifinals, the team’s first semis appearance since 2004, as she led the team with 65 kills during the playoffs.

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at david.carrillo@latimes.com.