April Ross

April Ross is one of just a handful of female beach volleyball athletes to win medals at more than one Olympics. Alix Klineman has become a brand new Olympian and will join her at Tokyo. Ross's dream is to earn her first Olympic gold medal. This may be the last chance she'll ever have as she is 39 years old. Still confident, however. If we play our top or do well, I believe we can get that gold medal Ross declared on NBC Boston. "I'm planning to test a little luck." Ross, who was born 1982, and grew up within Costa Mesa California with her siblings and parents, started participating in sports at Newport Harbor High school. Ross's athletic endeavors continued at Newport Harbor High School where she participated in several sports. In addition to playing indoor volleyball, she also played basketball and jogged track as a pre-collegiate athlete. But she stood out during this game. In her time at the high school level in her university bio, she was a middle-blocker, outside-hitter and setter. Gatorade Circle Of Champions named her the national Player 1999. The 2000 Orange County Athlete of the Month award was also won by her due to her volleyball skills. While Ross and Klineman are in the spotlight since the year 2017, Klineman was already an established participant on the beaches even before the pair formed. In actual Ross has been a winner of several important tournaments throughout her career with two partners. One is a volleyball legend. From 2007 to 2013, she was partnered with Jennifer Kessy, who is currently her coach. Alongside Kessy Ross was a force on the international stage, claiming the world championship in 2009. They won a Silver Medal at the 2012 Olympic Games held in London. Misty May Treanor and Kerri Jennings, the team of legends which was the winners of the 2012 Olympics in London, took their opponents to claim the gold. As fate would have it Ross was Walsh Jennings' new partner after May-Treanor's retirement. They took home the bronze medal in beach volleyball during the Rio Olympics 2016. Ross started her college time with the Trojans at USC following graduation from high school. The Trojans were a few years away from when Ross went to the beach, and then became a pro. Ross's Trojans experience was amazing. She was a All-American and Pac-10 Freshman of Year when she was a teen freshman. Additionally, she was a key player to help the Trojans reach it to the Final Four. Her personal tragedy was a crushing loss during her sophomore year however she was able to return in the ranks of an All-American. Over the course of her two final years with the Trojans they helped win consecutive championships. In 2003-04, Ross was named as the most successful female volleyball player on the collegiate scene in America by The Honda Sports Award. Ross majored at USC in International Relations. Margie Ross didn't get to see Ross achieve beach volleyball's top level. Ross's mother passed away from breast cancer while she was a sophomore at USC. But, she will always keep her mother's memory close and close. Margie continues to be an inspiration both on and off at the beach.