April Ross

April Ross is one of just a handful of female beach volleyball stars to capture medals at many Olympics. Alix-Klineman will compete with Ross at Tokyo for her third gold medal in the coming days. Ross's dream is to earn her first Olympic Gold. There is a chance that she has one chance, at 39 years old. Nevertheless she is confident that top honors are firmly within reach. Ross was quoted on NBC Boston as saying that If you put in your top, even if you do well, we'll get the gold. Therefore, I'm hoping to have a little bit of luck too. Ross was born on the 22nd of October, 1982. She was raised in Costa Mesa California where she lived with her parents and her sister. She was able to participate in a myriad of sports during her time at Newport Harbor High School. Being a pre-athlete, she also played indoor volleyball and track. She was clearly the best player in indoor volleyball. In her own biography in high school, she played volleyball as an outside setter (middle blocker) and the setter (outside blocker). She was named the Gatorade National Circle of Champions player of the Year in 1999, for her performance. Her skills in volleyball brought her an Orange County Athlete of the Year award in the year 2000. Ross and Klineman are performing their roles from 2017. The reality is that Ross played a significant role in the world of beach volleyball prior to the pair. She has won numerous events, one of which was with a legendary volleyball player. Jennifer Kessy was her partner during six years between 2007 and 2013. She also coached Klineman as well as herself. Together, Kessy Ross was a force on the international circuit winning a world title in 2009. This duo went on to win a silver at the 2012 Olympic Games at London. Misty Maytreanor (Jennings) as well as Misty Maytreanor took home gold beating them to it. As fate would have it Ross became Walsh Jennings' new partner as May-Treanor stepped down. The pair went on to earn bronze in beach volleyball at the Rio Olympics in 2016. After high school and years before she hit the beach as a professional Ross balled out to the Trojans at USC while an collegiate. She had a great run through the college. In 2000 she was named Pac-10 Freshman as well as NCAA Freshman of the Year. She was also named an All-American. The Trojans also reached the Final Four. The Trojans suffered a significant personal loss during her sophomore year, but was still capable of achieving the All-American distinction. In her last two seasons in the program she led the Trojans up to the summit netting three consecutive championships at the national level. Individually she had cemented herself as an all-time great having won the 2003-2004 Honda Sports Award as the most outstanding female college volleyball player. Ross had been an international studies student at USC. Margie Ross, Ross' mother, did not have the privilege of watching her daughter become an international beach volleyball star. Ross's mother Margie died in 2001, when Ross was still in the midst of being a USC sophomore. The cancer was diagnosed as breast. This meant that Ross remains close to her deceased parent. Margie is a source of inspiration throughout her life, as well as on the beach.