April Ross

April Ross is one of the few female beach volleyball players who have won medals in many Olympics. In Tokyo over the next several days she will attempt to net her third medal along with first-time Olympian Alix Klineman. Ross hopes to win the Olympic debut gold but she is also aiming to win more. As she is 39 and has a long way to go, this could be her last shot. But she's convinced that winning the gold medal is at hand. Ross stated via NBC Boston: "If we do our best and even If we play our best I believe we can get the gold medal." "I'm also going to try to have a bit of luck." Ross was born in the city of Costa Mesa, California in the year 1982. Her parents and sister were residents there. Apart from playing in numerous sport, she also attended Newport Harbor High School. In addition to playing indoor volleyball, she also was a basketball player and also ran track as a pre-collegiate athlete. When she played in the final sport, she clearly stood out. In her college profile, she played outside of the hitter middle blocker and setter during her volleyball career at high school. As a tribute to her efforts, she received the Gatorade Award for the National Player of 1999. In 2000, she was recognized as the Orange County Athlete of the Year for volleyball. Ross has been playing alongside Klineman since the year 2017 but her beach game was well-established long before this. The fact is, she's won multiple big tournaments and one partner was a volleyball superstar. From 2007 to 2013 she played by Jennifer Kessy, who is currently her coach. Ross, Kessy's fellow teammate who took home the title of world champion together with Kessy in 2009 was also an important player on the world stage. The pair eventually picked up a silver medal in the 2012 Olympic Games in London. They were defeated for the gold medal by the legendary group comprising Misty and Kerri Walsh (Jennings). Ross Jennings was May-Treanor's replacement when she retired. They took home the bronze medal in beach volleyball during the Rio Olympics 2016. In high school and the years before she hit the sand as a pro Ross was a ball with the Trojans of USC as an collegiate. She had a great run through the NCAA tournament. In her first year at the school, 2000 earned her the Pac-10 and NCAA Freshman of the Award and also be named an All-American. She was also a key player to help the Trojans to make it to the Final Four. The Trojans suffered a heartbreaking personal loss in her sophomore season and yet she went on to repeat in the ranks of an All-American. Through her final two seasons with the Trojans they helped win consecutive championships. She was a fantastic volleyball player, winning the Honda Sports Award in 2003-04 as the most outstanding female volleyball player in the NCAA. Ross majored at USC in International Relations. Margie Ross never saw her daughter achieve the heights of the beach volleyball ladder. Ross lost her mother to breast cancer in the year 2001. Ross was then a sophomore. However, she continues to remember her deceased parent close and dear. Margie continues to be an inspiration both on and off of the beach.