April Ross

April Ross was one of just a handful of women beach volleyball stars who won medals at multiple Olympics. Alix-Klineman will be competing with Ross at Tokyo in order to claim her third gold in the coming days. Ross's aim is to get her first Olympic gold medal. As she is 39 and has a long way to go, this could be her last chance. The athlete is optimistic she will be able to win top awards. Ross declared on NBC Boston: "If we do our best and even playing well I believe we can get the gold medal." In addition, I'll try the chance to have luck. Ross was born in Costa Mesa, California in 1982. Her parents as well as her sister lived there. Apart from participating in a variety of sports, Ross was also a student at Newport Harbor High School. In her time as a college athlete she was also a participant in indoor track and volleyball. In her final game she was clearly the standout. According to her bio in high school, she played volleyball as an outside hitter (middle blocker) as well as a setter (outside blocker). The results of her efforts were acknowledged in 1999 when she was named Gatorade's Circle of Champions National players of the year. In 2000, the Orange County Athlete of the Month was also received by her for volleyball. Ross and Klineman are doing what they do in 2017. However, Ross was a major player on the beach volleyball circuit prior to the pair. In reality, she was a winner of multiple major tournaments using two partners, one of whom is a volleyball icon. Between 2007 and 2013, she was partnered by Jennifer Kessy, who is the coach she is currently. Together, Kessy Ross was an ace in the world circuit, winning an international title in 2009. The 2012 Olympic Games, they won a gold medal. The legendary Misty Maytreanor team and Kerri Jennings took home the gold. Ross became Walsh Jennings new partner after May-Treanor's retirement. Together, they won bronze in beach volleyball at the Rio Olympics in 2016. Following high school, and for a few several years prior to hitting the sand professionally, Ross played to the Trojans at USC while an collegiate. The Trojans had a great career for Ross in the college level. In 2000 she was named Pac-10 Freshman and NCAA Freshman Of The Year, and was also an All-American. She was also an integral player for helping the Trojans reach the Final Four. The second season of her career, she experienced a terrible personal loss, yet earned the distinction of being an All-American. The two years following her, she took the Trojans up to the summit and took home consecutive national championships. She was a fantastic volleyball player, winning the Honda Sports Award in 2003-04 as the most outstanding female volleyball player at the college level. Ross studied at USC in International Relations. Margie Ross, Ross' mother, did not have the privilege of watching her daughter become the beach volleyball's biggest star. In 2001 when Ross was a sophomore studying at USC her mother died of breast cancer. But, she will always keep her mother's memory close and close. And Margie continues to be an motivation for her at the beaches and throughout life.