April Ross

April Ross is one of only a few female beach volleyball stars to win medals at more than one Olympics. Alix-Klineman will be competing with April Ross Tokyo for her third gold medal over the next few days. Ross's dream is to earn her first Olympic Gold. This may be the last opportunity she gets to do so at the age of 39. Her optimism is that she can achieve top honors. Ross through NBC Boston, said that when the team performs very well, or even at all, they can earn a gold. "I'm also going to try some luck." Ross, who was born 1982 and lived in Costa Mesa California with her siblings and parents, started competing in the sports of Newport Harbor High school. Ross went on to play in numerous activities at Newport Harbor High School. She played basketball and ran track, in addition to her indoor volleyball exploits in her time as a college athlete. When she played in the final sport she was clearly the standout. In her college profile, she was an outside hitter middle blocker, as well as a setter in her volleyball playing career during high school. She was named one of the Gatorade National Circle of Champions Player of the Year in 1999, for her performance. The year 2000 was the time she was awarded her the Orange County Athlete of the of the year for volleyball. Although Ross and Klineman are in the spotlight since the year 2017, Klineman was already an established player on the beach scene even before the pair formed. It's true that she's won multiple big tournaments and one partner was a renowned volleyball player. In the period 2007 until 2013, she was a team together with Jennifer Kessy who more recently played the role of Klineman's coach. Kessy was Ross's co-coach at the World Championships in 2009. They won a Silver Medal during the 2012 Olympic Games held in London. Misty May, Kerri Walsh and Kerri Jennings were the group to beat for the gold. It was fate that had them. Ross became Walsh Jennings' new partner as May-Treanor stepped down. They both went on to take home the bronze beach volleyball trophy at the Rio Olympics 2016 with Walsh Jennings. Ross began her collegiate professional career playing for the Trojans of USC after graduation from high school. This was years before Ross went to the beach, and then became a pro. Ross's playing time with the Trojans was impressive. In 2000, as a freshman she fought her way to Pac-10 and NCAA The Freshman of the Year honors and was an All-American. In addition, she helped her Trojans to reach the Final Four. Her personal tragedy was a crushing loss in her sophomore year however she was able to return as an All-American. Over her final 2 years in the Trojans program, she coached the Trojans to winning a national title every year. She was a fantastic volleyball player, winning the Honda Sports Award in 2003-04 as the top female college volleyball player. Ross was a student at USC in International Relations. Margie Ross, Ross' mother, never had the privilege of watching Ross' daughter blossom into the beach volleyball's biggest star. Ross lost her mother to breast cancer in 2001. Ross was then a sophomore. She still holds her mother close to her heart. Margie remains a source of inspiration, both off and on at the beach.