April Ross

April Ross is one of only a few female beach volleyball athletes to win medals at more than one Olympics. Alix-Klineman will be competing with Ross at Tokyo in order to claim her third gold medal over the coming days. Ross hopes to win an Olympic first gold medal, but she's also hoping to earn even more. With her age of 39, this may be Ross' last chance to win the Olympic gold. But she's confident top awards are in reach. Ross through NBC Boston, said that if the team plays very well, or even at all, it could be able to win gold. Therefore, I'm hoping to have the chance also. Ross was born in Costa Mesa, California in the year 1982. Her parents and sister were residents in the area. Along with competing in various sports, Ross also attended Newport Harbor High School. Apart from the indoor game, she also was a basketball player and also ran track as a pre-collegiate athlete. She was definitely the best player in indoor volleyball. As per her biography, during high school she was a volleyball player as an outside hitter (middle blocker) as well as a the setter (outside blocker). Gatorade Circle of Champions named her the national Player of 1999. In 2000, she was awarded the Orange County Athlete of the Year award in volleyball. Ross and Klineman may be working on a project in the year 2017, however Ross had already been a seasoned volleyball player before they came together. The fact is, she's won multiple big tournaments and one of them was an all-star volleyball player. For six years from 2007-2013 she played alongside Jennifer Kessy who more recently played the role of Klineman's coach. Together, Kessy Ross, she was a major force in the world circuit, winning a world title in 2009. They were awarded a silver medal in the 2012 Olympic Games held in London. They were defeated for the gold by the legendary group comprising Misty and Kerri Walsh (Jennings). Ross Jennings was May-Treanor's replacement as she left the team. They went on to compete for the bronze beach volleyball medal in the Rio Olympics 2016 with Walsh Jennings. Following high school, and for a few years before she hit the sand as a pro Ross played to the Trojans at USC while a collegiate. Her time at the school was one to remember. In her first year at the school, 2000 earned her the Pac-10 and NCAA Freshman's of the Award and also be named an All-American. The team also saw her help in helping the Trojans to make it to the Final Four. Her personal tragedy was a crushing loss during her sophomore year however she was able to return in the ranks of an All-American. During her final two seasons in the Trojans team the team was led to success by winning two consecutive national championships. Individually she had cemented her place as a legend having won the 2003-2004 Honda Sports Award as the highest ranked female volleyball player. Ross took a course in International Relations at USC. Sadly, Ross mother Margie never got to see her daughter ascend to the very top of beach volleyball superstardom. When Ross was a sophomore studying at USC her mother passed away from breast cancer. But she still keeps her parent close to his heart. Margie is a beach lover as well as in her everyday life, is still a source of inspiration for her.