April Ross

April Ross has won more than one Olympic medal. She is among only a handful of women beach volleyball athletes that have achieved this feat. Ross will compete in Tokyo to compete for her third Olympic gold medal along with Alix Klineman, who is a first-time Olympian. Ross's goal is to win her first Olympic gold medal. With her age of 39, this may be her last chance to take home the Olympic gold. Her optimism is that she can achieve top honors. Ross was mentioned on NBC Boston as saying that when you perform at your very top, even if you play well we will get the gold. Also, I am going be relying on a little bit of good luck. Ross born in 1982, and grew up within Costa Mesa California with her mother and sister, first began competing in sports at Newport Harbor High school. Her athletic career was continued by Newport Harbor High School where she participated in several sports. She was a basketball player and also ran the track as well as her indoor volleyball achievements as a pre-collegiate athlete. She stood out however in this sport. Based on her bio, she played an outside blocker as well as a middle hitting volleyball player during her senior year at high school. Gatorade Circle Of Champions named her the national Player of 1999. The 2000 Orange County Athlete of the Month award was also won by her in volleyball. Ross is currently playing alongside Klineman since the year 2017 but her beach game was established well before the year. In fact, she's had the chance to win numerous tournaments, including one with an iconic volleyball player. Jennifer Kessy coached her from 2007 until 2013. Ross, the teammate of Kessy's, who won the world title alongside Kessy in 2009, also was a major force on an international level. In 2012, the pair were awarded silver medals at the London Olympics. They were beaten out for the gold medal by the legendary team of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh (Jennings). Ross Jennings was Walsh Jennings partner in fate after Maytreanor's retirement. Together, they won beach volleyball bronze for the Rio Olympics in the year 2016. Ross started her college professional career playing for the Trojans of USC after graduation from high school. The Trojans were a few years away from when Ross hit the beach and became a professional. Her career was a success in the NCAA tournament. In her first year at the school, 2000 earned her the Pac-10 and NCAA Freshman of the Year awards and be an All-American. Additionally, she was a key player to help the Trojans make the Final Four. In her sophomore year, she suffered a tremendous personal setback, but she was able to make it back as an All-American. The last two years with the Trojans in the program they won victories by winning successive national titles. She had established her place as a legend by winning the 2003-2004 Honda Sports Award as the nation's top female collegiate volleyball player. Ross had been an international studies major at USC. Margie Ross, Ross' mother, never had the chance to watch Ross' daughter blossom into an international beach volleyball star. Ross's mother died of breast carcinoma in the year 2001. Ross had just become an undergraduate student in the second year at USC. As a result, Ross remains near to her mother who passed away. Margie is a constant source of inspiration to her on and off the beach.