April Ross

April Ross is only one of the beach volleyball players who have earned medals at least twice in an Olympics. She will be competing in Tokyo for her 3rd Olympic gold medal along with Alix Klineman who is a first time Olympian. Ross will also be hoping for her very first Olympic medal. It could be the last time she has the chance at age 39. Her optimism is that she will be able to win top awards. Ross was quoted on NBC Boston as saying that If you put in your best, even if you do well, we'll get the gold. Also, it's an issue of luck. Ross was born in 1982 in Costa Mesa California where she resided with her parents and sister. She was able to participate in numerous sports in Newport Harbor High School. When she was a student in the prep school she was a participant in the indoor game of volleyball, as well as basketball and track. While she did well in indoor volleyball however, it was evident that her performance was above average. In her own biography her high school days, she was a volleyball player as an outside hitter (middle blocker) and setter (outside blocker). The results of her efforts were acknowledged by her being named 1999 Gatorade's Circle of Champions National Players of the Year. She also was awarded her the Orange County Athlete of the of the year for volleyball. Although Ross and Klineman are a couple from 2017 onward, the former had already been a major athlete on the beach even before the pair formed. In reality, she's won multiple big tournaments and one of them was a renowned volleyball player. For six years from 2007-2013 she played alongside Jennifer Kessy who more recently served as her and Klineman's coach. Kessy was Ross's co-coach at the 2009 World Championships. In the 2012 Olympic Games, they were awarded a gold medal. They were beaten out for the gold by the legendary duo of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh (Jennings). Ross Jennings was the replacement for May-Treanor as she retired. The pair were awarded bronze medals at the Rio Olympics for beach volleyball. Following high school, and for a few many years before hitting the sand professionally, Ross was a ball to the Trojans at USC while a collegiate. Her career was a success during her time in the NCAA tournament. In 2000, as a freshman the Trojans' performance earned her the Pac-10 as well as NCAA the Freshman of the Year award. In addition, she helped her Trojans to make it to the Final Four. The second season of her career she was devastated by a personal loss, yet managed to earn the honor of being named an All-American. In her last two seasons as a player, she led the Trojans up to the top of the mountain netting successive national titles. In her own way, she cemented her place as a legend by winning the Honda Sports Award for 2003-04. The award is given to the best female college volleyball players in the country. Ross took a course in International Relations at USC. Sadly, Ross mother Margie was not able to witness her daughter ascend to the highest levels of beach volleyball fame. Margie, Ross's mother, passed away in 2001 when Ross was a USC sophomore. She had breast cancer. Ross is still awed by her mother who died. Margie has always been a source of inspiration to her both in and out of the water.