April Ross

April Ross is only one of the few beach volleyball athletes to win medals at least twice in an Olympics. Alix klineman, who is playing for the first time at Tokyo's Olympic Games, will try to earn her third Olympic medal. Ross wants to achieve more than her initial Olympic medal. As she turns 39, it could be her last opportunity to claim the gold medal at an Olympics. Nevertheless she is confident that top honors are firmly within reach. Ross, via NBC Boston, said that if the team plays consistently or well it could be able to win gold. So I'm going to take a little bit of luck also. Ross, who was born 1982 and was raised in Costa Mesa California with her mother and sister, first began participating in sports at the Newport Harbor High School. Along with participating in a variety of sports, Ross was also a student at Newport Harbor High School. She competed in basketball and track, in addition to her indoor volleyball exploits as a prep athlete. She was definitely an edge over the other players in this latter game. In her college profile, she played outside of the hitter middle blocker, and setter in her volleyball playing career in high school. The results of her efforts were acknowledged by her being named 1999 Gatorade's Circle Of Champions National players of the year. In 2000, the Orange County Athlete of the Month was also received by her in volleyball. Ross and Klineman are continuing to play in 2017. But, Ross was a major player on the beach volleyball circuit before joining the duo. She has had the chance to win numerous events, one of which was with the legendary player of volleyball. From 2007 until 2013 she was in a partnership by Jennifer Kessy, who is the coach she is currently. Kessy as well as Ross proved to be a formidable force in the international circuit, winning the 2009 World Championship together. They took home a Silver medal at the 2012 Olympic Games held in London. Misty May Treanor and Kerri Jennings, the team of legends that won the 2012 Olympic Games in London, took their opponents to claim the gold. The fate of the matter was that Ross turned out to be Walsh Jennings' new partner as May-Treanor stepped down. They went on to earn the bronze medal in beach volleyball during the Rio Olympics in 2016. Ross participated in the USC Trojans in college years after she graduated the high school she attended. Ross's time in the Trojans was impressive. In 2000, as a freshman the Trojans' performance earned her the Pac-10 as well as NCAA Young Player of the Year awards. She was also one of the key players to help the Trojans to make it to the Final Four. Her sophomore year was the time she suffered a tremendous personal loss but still managed to make it back as an All-American. Through her two final years with the Trojans they helped achieve consecutive championships. She was a great volleyball player, winning the Honda Sports Award in 2003-04 as the most outstanding female volleyball player at the college level. Ross was a student of International Relations at USC. Margie Ross did not get to watch her daughter's climb to the beach volleyball spotlight. Ross suffered the loss of her mom to cancer of the breast in 2001. Ross was then a sophomore. This meant that Ross remains close to her parent who died. In addition, Margie continues to be an motivation for her at the beaches and throughout her daily life.