April Ross

April Ross is only one of only a handful of beach volleyball athletes to win medals at least twice in an Olympics. In Tokyo in the coming days she will attempt to win her third gold medal along with first-time Olympian Alix Klineman. Ross's aim is to get her first Olympic Gold. As she turns 39, it could be Ross' last chance to take home an Olympic gold. However, she's convinced that top prizes can be achieved. Ross, via NBC Boston, said that if the team plays very well, or even at all, it could be able to win gold. It's also going to be the result of luck. Ross, who was born 1982 and lived in Costa Mesa California with her mother and sister, first began playing sports at the Newport Harbor High School. Ross's athletic endeavors continued at Newport Harbor High School where she played in a variety of activities. She competed in basketball and the track as well as her indoor volleyball exploits as a pre-collegiate athlete. She stood out however at this level. According to her bio, she was a middle blocker and an outside hitting volleyball player during her senior year at high school. Gatorade Circle Of Champions named her the National Player of 1999. In 2000, she was awarded an Orange County Athlete of the Year award in volleyball. Even though Ross Klineman and Ross have been doing their thing since the year 2017, Klineman was already a big-time player on the beach scene prior to their team. In reality, she's had numerous big wins and one partner was a volleyball superstar. In the period 2007-2013 she played with Jennifer Kessy who more recently played the role of Klineman's coach. Kessy as well as Ross proved to be strong on the international circuit, winning the 2009 World Championship together. They took home a Silver medal in the 2012 Olympic Games held in London. They were beaten out for the gold medal by the legendary team comprised of Misty May-Treanor as well as Kerri Walsh (Jennings). Ross Jennings replaced May-Treanor as she left the team. Together, they won bronze in beach volleyball at the Rio Olympics in the year 2016. Ross was a player for the USC Trojans in college years after she graduated high school. Her time at USC was an impressive one. The year 2000 was her freshman year. was when she won the Pac-10 as well as NCAA Freshman's of the award and become an All-American. Additionally, she was one of the key players for helping the Trojans to make it to it to the Final Four. The second season of her career, she experienced a terrible personal loss, yet earned the distinction of being an All-American. Through her two final years of participation in the Trojans program, she guided them to a national title each year. The individual accomplishments of her have established her status as a legend in volleyball. Ross was awarded the Honda Sports Award 2003-04 for the best female college player. Ross was a major in the field of international relations in USC. Margie Ross never saw her daughter achieve the heights of the beach volleyball ladder. Ross's mother died of cancer of the breast in 2001. Ross had just become an undergraduate student in the second year at USC. In the aftermath, Ross continues to be near to her mother who passed away. Margie continues to be an inspiration on and off of the shore.