April Ross

April Ross has won more than one Olympic gold medal. Ross is among only a handful of women beach volleyball athletes who have achieved this feat. Alix Klineman is the newest Olympian who will be joining her at Tokyo. In addition, Ross hopes to win her first Olympic gold. With her age of 39, this may be Ross' last chance to take home the Olympic gold. She's certain that the top prizes are within reach. Ross was mentioned in NBC Boston as saying that If you put in your best, even if you play well we will get the gold. That's why I'm taking the chance also. Ross, who was born 1982 and was raised within Costa Mesa California with her siblings and parents, started competing in the sports of Newport Harbor High school. While at Newport Harbor High School, she competed in numerous activities. As a prep-athlete she played indoor volleyball and track. In her final game she was clearly the standout. In her own biography, during high school she was a volleyball player as an outside setter (middle blocker) and the setter (outside blocker). As a tribute to her efforts she was awarded the Gatorade Award for the National Player of 1999. Additionally, in 2000, she was awarded the Orange County Athlete of the year for volleyball. Ross is currently playing alongside Klineman since the year 2017, but Ross's beach game was established well before that. As a matter of fact, Ross has won several important tournaments throughout her career together with two other partners. One is a volleyball legend. Jennifer Kessy coached her from 2007 to 2013. Kessy's teammate Ross, who took home the title of world champion together with Kessy in 2009, was also significant on the an international level. This duo went through to take home a silver medal in the 2012 Olympic Games at London. They were knocked out of the gold by the legendary duo comprising Misty and Kerri Walsh (Jennings). The fate of the matter was that Ross became Walsh Jennings' new partner when May-Treanor retired. Both went on to win the bronze beach volleyball trophy at Rio Olympics in 2016 along with Walsh Jennings. Ross was a Trojans player for the USC during her college days, prior to becoming a professional. The Trojans had a great career for Ross in the college level. The year 2000 was her freshman year. was when she won the Pac-10 as well as NCAA Freshman's of Year awards and be an All-American. The Trojans also reached the Final Four. Her personal tragedy was a crushing loss in her sophomore season and yet she went on to repeat her place as an All-American. Over her final two years within the team, she guided the Trojans up to the top of the mountain by winning two consecutive national championships. As an individual, she established herself as an all-time legend having won the 2003-04 Honda Sports Award as the most outstanding female college volleyball player. Ross majored at USC in International Relations. Sadly, Ross mother Margie did not get to see Ross rise to the very top of beach volleyball superstardom. 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 continues to be close to her deceased parent. Margie, on the beach and in daily life, is still a source of inspiration for her.