April Ross

April Ross is only one of the few beach volleyball athletes to win medals more than once at an Olympics. In Tokyo during the next few days, she'll try to claim her third Olympic medal along with the first-time Olympian Alix Klineman. Ross will also be hoping for her very first Olympic medal. With her age of 39, this may be her last chance to take home an Olympic gold. Her optimism is that she'll be successful in achieving top honours. Ross stated to NBC Boston that if they are at their absolute best and even play well and they are able to play well, the team could win a gold medal. It's also going to be an issue of luck. Ross was a Californian born in the city of Costa Mesa in 1982. She grew up in Costa Mesa with her mother, father and sibling. She went on to compete in a myriad of activities at Newport Harbor High School. As a pre-schooler she was a participant in basketball, indoor volleyball and running track. However, she was a standout in this sport. In her college profile, she was an outside hitter, middle blocker, and setter in her volleyball playing career during high school. The results of her efforts were acknowledged by her being named 1999 Gatorade's National Circle of Champions Player of the Year. In 2000, she was recognized as the Orange County Athlete of the Year for volleyball. Ross and Klineman may have begun working together at the beginning of 2017, but Ross had already been a seasoned volleyball player before they joined forces. In reality, she was a winner of several major championships while playing with two different partners, one of which is a volleyball icon. Between 2007 and 2013 she played with Jennifer Kessy, who is the coach she is currently. Together with Kessy Ross was an ace in the world circuit, winning the world championship in 2009. The duo won silver at London's Olympics. They were beaten out for the gold medal by the legendary duo comprising Misty and Kerri Walsh (Jennings). Ross Jennings was the replacement for May-Treanor as she retired. They both won bronze medals in beach volleyball for the Rio Olympics in the year 2016. Ross began her college professional career playing for the Trojans of USC in graduation from high school. This was years before Ross hit the sand and turned pro. This was an impressive career for Ross in the university. She was an All-American and Pac-10 freshman of the year when she was a teen freshman. She also helped her Trojans to reach the Final Four. Her sophomore year was the time she was devastated by a personal setback but managed to be a second All-American. The two years following her she led the Trojans up the mountain and won consecutive national titles. The individual accomplishments of her have established her as a volleyball legend. She won the Honda Sports Award 2003-04 for the nation's best female collegiate player. Ross who was a USC international relations student, was a volleyball star. Unfortunately Ross mother Margie did not get to see Ross's daughter reach the highest levels of beach volleyball fame. Ross's mom died from cancer of the breast in 2001. Ross had just become an undergraduate student in the second year at USC. But, she will always keep her mother's memory close and dear. Margie has been an inspiration throughout her life, as well as on the beaches.