April Ross

April Ross is only one of only a handful of beach volleyball players to have won medals multiple times at an Olympics. Ross will compete in Tokyo for her 3rd Olympic gold medal along with Alix Klineman who is a first-time Olympian. Ross is hoping to secure an Olympic debut gold however, she also hopes for greater. And at the age of 39, this could be her final chance to achieve it. But she's confident top awards can be achieved. Ross stated to NBC Boston that if they perform at their very best, and even play well, she believes the team can win a gold medal. This is also a matter of chance. Ross, who was born 1982, and grew up within Costa Mesa California with her mother and sister, first began participating in the sports of the Newport Harbor High School. At Newport Harbor High School, she played in a variety of activities. Her pre-athletic career comprised indoor volleyball along with basketball, running and track. When she played in the final sport she stood out. The college bio says that she was an outside hitter, middle blocker, as well as a setter throughout her volleyball time in high school. The award was presented to her as by the Gatorade National Circle of Champions player of the year in 1999 due to her accomplishments. She also was awarded an Orange County Athlete of the year award for volleyball. Ross is currently working with Klineman from 2017 but her beach game was established well before this. In reality, she was a winner of several major championships while playing using two partners, one of whom is an icon of volleyball. Jennifer Kessy was her partner during six years from 2007 until 2013. She also coached Klineman as well as herself. Together together with Kessy, Ross won an Olympic Title in 2009 while competing in the international circuit. They eventually won a silver medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. They were knocked out of the gold medal by the legendary team comprised of Misty May-Treanor as well as Kerri Walsh (Jennings). Ross Jennings was May-Treanor's replacement when she retired. The pair won bronze in the Rio Olympics for beach volleyball. Ross was a college player with the Trojans of USC prior to her pro career. She was a player in high school, and even before hitting the beach as a professional. Her time at USC was impressive. In 2000, as a freshman she fought her way to Pac-10 and NCAA The Freshman of the Year awards and was an All-American. Her Trojans also reached the Final Four. Her personal tragedy was a crushing loss in her sophomore year, but she still repeated her place as an All-American. The two years following her, she took the Trojans up to the summit and won consecutive national titles. In 2003-04, Ross was named the best female volleyball player at a collegiate level in the United States through the Honda Sports Award. Ross was an international relations major at USC. Margie Ross, Ross' mother, did not have the opportunity to see her daughter become an international beach volleyball star. Ross lost the breast cancer that she battled in 2001. Ross was then a sophomore. However, she keeps her mother in her the heart. And Margie is an ongoing source of inspiration to her on the beaches and throughout her daily life.