April Ross

April Ross is only one of the beach volleyball athletes to win medals at least twice in an Olympics. She will be competing in Tokyo for her 3rd Olympic medal with Alix Klineman who is a first time Olympian. Ross hopes to win more than her initial Olympic medal. This may be the last time she has the chance as she is 39 years old. She remains optimistic that she will be able to win top awards. Ross told NBC Boston that if they perform at their very best, or even a good game, she believes the team could win a gold medal. "I'm planning to test some luck." 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. Ross went on to play in many activities during her time at Newport Harbor High School. She competed in basketball and track in addition to her indoor volleyball achievements in her time as a college athlete. She stood out however in this sport. As per her biography, during high school she was a volleyball player as an outside setter (middle blocker) and setting (outside blocker). The award was presented to her as by the Gatorade National Circle of Champions Player of the Year in 1999, for her performance. Her volleyball skills also won her an Orange County Athlete of the Awards in 2000. Ross and Klineman have been doing what they do in 2017. However, Ross played a significant role in the beach volleyball scene before joining the duo. She has won major events twice, with various partners. One of them has become an iconic player in the world of volleyball. In the period 2007 to 2013 she teamed with Jennifer Kessy who more recently played the role of Klineman's coach. Kessy as well as Ross proved to be an impressive force on the world circuit, winning the 2009 World Championship together. In 2012, the duo won silver at London's Olympics. Misty May, Kerri Walsh and Kerri Jennings were the trio that could take home the gold. It was fate that had them. Ross turned out to be Walsh Jennings' new partner as May-Treanor stepped down. They both won bronze in beach volleyball at the Rio Olympics in 2016. Ross was a Trojans player for the USC during her college days, the years prior to her professional career. Her career was a success through the NCAA tournament. She was an All-American as well as Pac-10 freshman of the year when she was a teen freshman. Her performance also assisted in helping the Trojans to make it to into the Final Four. She was devastated by a tragic incident in her sophomore year. However, she managed to become an All-American in her second year. Through the two years she played for the Trojans she was instrumental in helping them win consecutive championships. Her individual achievements have cemented her as a volleyball legend. She won the Honda Sports Award 2003-04 for the best female college player. Ross majored at USC in International Relations. Margie Ross did not get to witness her daughter's rise to fame as a beach volleyball player. Ross's mother Margie died in 2001 when Ross was an USC sophomore. Her breast cancer had been diagnosed. Ross is still awed by her parents who passed away. Margie continues to be a source of inspiration, both off and on of the beach.