April Ross

April Ross has won more than one Olympic medal. Ross is among only a handful of female beach volleyball players who have achieved this feat. In Tokyo in the coming days she will attempt to net her third medal along with the first-time Olympian Alix Klineman. Ross's dream is to earn her first Olympic Gold. Perhaps this is her only chance, at 39 years old. She remains optimistic that she will be able to win top awards. Ross declared on NBC Boston: "If we try our best, and even if we just play well, I think we could be able to win gold." It's also going to be the result of luck. Ross, who was born 1982 and was raised within Costa Mesa California with her siblings and parents, started playing sports at the Newport Harbor High School. In Newport Harbor High School, she competed in numerous activities. While a prep student, she competed in indoor volleyball along with basketball and track. However, she was a standout at this level. Her college biography states that she was an outside hitter, middle blocker, as well as a setter during her volleyball career at high school. Gatorade Circle of Champions named her as the National Player of 1999. Her skills in volleyball brought her an Orange County Athlete of the Awards in 2000. Although Ross Klineman and Ross are a couple since the year 2017, Klineman was already a big-time participant on the beaches even before the pair formed. She's won big tournaments twice with different partners. A couple of those is an icon in the world of volleyball. Jennifer Kessy coached her from 2007 until the year 2013. Together with Kessy, Ross won the World Championship in 2009 when she competed internationally. The pair eventually picked up a silver medal in the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Misty May Treanor and Kerri Jennings, the team of legends that was the winners of the 2012 Olympics in London, beat their opponents to claim the gold. Ross Jennings was May-Treanor's replacement as she left the team. In 2016, the duo won bronze in the Rio Olympics for beach volleyball. Ross was a college athlete for USC Trojans before her pro career. She played in high school and in years prior to hitting the beaches as a professional. And her run in the Trojans' ranks was one to remember. In 2000 she was voted Pac-10 Freshman and NCAA Freshman of the Year. She was also named an All-American. She also helped her Trojans to make it to the Final Four. In her sophomore season, she experienced a terrible personal loss and still earned the distinction of being an All-American. In her last two seasons as a player, she led the Trojans to the summit winning consecutive national championships. As an individual Ross established her status in the history books by winning the Honda Sports Award for 2003-04. This award was given to the top female volleyball players at colleges across the country. Ross majored in the field of international relations in USC. Margie Ross did not see her daughter make it to the top in beach volleyball. Margie, Ross's mother, passed away in 2001. Ross was still in the midst of being a USC sophomore. She had breast cancer. She continues to remember her deceased parent close and dear. Margie has inspired her both in her personal life and at the beach.