April Ross

April Ross has won more than one Olympic gold medal. Ross is among a few women beach volleyball athletes who have done so. Alix-Klineman will be competing with April Ross in Tokyo for her third gold medal over the coming days. Ross wants to achieve more than just her first Olympic medal. In fact, at 39 this may be her last opportunity to achieve it. She's certain that the top prizes are in reach. Ross said on NBC Boston: "If we perform our best and If we play our best, I think we could get the gold medal." Also, it's an issue of luck. Ross was a Californian born in Costa Mesa, California in 1982. She lived here with her father, mother and sibling. In Newport Harbor High School, she played in a variety of different sports. The prep sports she played included indoor volleyball along with basketball as well as running and track. She was definitely a cut above the rest when it came to the second sport. As per her biography, during high school she played volleyball as an outside setter (middle blocker) as well as a the setter (outside blocker). She was named by the Gatorade National Circle of Champions player of the year in 1999 for her achievements. Her skills in volleyball earned her the Orange County Athlete of the Awards in the year 2000. Ross has been playing alongside Klineman since the year 2017 but her beach game was well-established long before that. In fact, she won multiple major tournaments using two partners, among them a volleyball icon. From 2007 until 2013, she was partnered by Jennifer Kessy, who is now her coach. Alongside Kessy Ross was an ace on the international stage, claiming a world title in 2009. The duo took silver in London's Olympics. Misty May, Kerri Walsh and Kerri Jennings were the team to beat for the gold. Ross was Walsh Jennings new partner after May-Treanor's resignation. The pair took bronze at the Rio Olympics for beach volleyball. After high school and many years before hitting the sand professionally, Ross played for the USC Trojans as an collegiate. Ross had an impressive run in college. As a freshmen in 2000 Her performance was rewarded with the Pac-10 as well as NCAA Freshman-of-the-Year honors. In 2000, her Trojans made it to the Final Four. Her sophomore year was the time she was devastated by a personal setback but managed to be a second All-American. Through her final two seasons with the Trojans, she helped them achieve consecutive championships. In 2003-04, Ross was named the top female volleyball player on the collegiate scene in America according to The Honda Sports Award. Ross was a student at USC in International Relations. Margie Ross, Ross' mother, did not have the privilege of watching Ross' daughter blossom into the beach volleyball's biggest star. Ross's mother died of breast carcinoma in the year 2001. Ross had just become a second-year student at USC. This meant that Ross remains near to her mother who passed away. Margie remains a constant source of inspiration for her both in and out of the water.