April Ross

April Ross, a beach volleyball player in the US, is among a select group of women who have had medals won in multiple Olympics. She will be competing in Tokyo for her 3rd Olympic medal with Alix Klineman, a first time Olympian. More than that though Ross is aiming to capture her very first Olympic gold. At 39 this may be her final chance to achieve it. She's certain that the top prizes are within reach. Ross was quoted in NBC Boston as saying that when you perform at your very highest, and even play well we will get the gold. "I'm also going to try to have a bit of luck." Ross born in 1982 and was raised within Costa Mesa California with her siblings and parents, started competing in sports at Newport Harbor High School. Her athletic career was continued by Newport Harbor High School where she played in a variety of activities. Along with playing indoor volleyball, she also played basketball and jogged track in her pre-college days. She was clearly the best at the sport of indoor volleyball. During her high school career she played middle blocker, outside hitter and setter in the court for volleyball per her college bio. She was awarded by the Gatorade National Circle of Champions player of the Year in 1999, for her performance. Her skills in volleyball brought her the Orange County Athlete of the Years trophy in the year 2000. Ross is currently working with Klineman from 2017. However, Ross's beach game was well-established long before this. She actually won numerous major events using two partners, one of whom is a volleyball icon. The pair teamed along with Jennifer Kessy from 2007-2013, and also was Klineman's trainer. Kessy was Ross's co-coach at the World Championships in 2009. They took home a Silver medal during the 2012 Olympic Games held in London. They were defeated for 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. They went on to compete for the bronze medal in beach volleyball in the Rio Olympics 2016 with Walsh Jennings. Ross began her college time with the Trojans at USC in high school. This was years before Ross made her debut on the beach, and then became a professional. The time she spent at USC was quite impressive. As a freshman in 2000 she played her way to Pac-10 and NCAA All-American Freshman of Year awards and was an All-American. She also helped the Trojans reach the Final Four. She suffered a devastating personal loss in her sophomore year however she was able to return in the ranks of an All-American. Over the course of her final two seasons, she took the Trojans up to the summit and clinched consecutive national championships. In 2003-2004, Ross was named the top collegiate female volleyball player in the United States through The Honda Sports Award. Ross studied International Relations at USC. Margie Ross, Ross' mother, never had the privilege of watching Ross' daughter blossom into a beach volleyball superstar. Ross suffered the loss of her mother to breast cancer in 2001. Ross was then a sophomore. However, she keeps her mother in her his heart. Margie is a constant source of inspiration for her both in and out of the water.