April Ross

April Ross is only one of only a handful of beach volleyball players to have won medals multiple times at an Olympics. Alix-Klineman will compete with April Ross Tokyo for her third gold medal over the coming days. More than that though Ross hopes to win her very first Olympic gold. It could be the last chance she'll ever have at age 39. However, she's convinced that top prizes are within reach. Ross said on NBC Boston that if they perform at their very best, or even a good game and they are able to play well, the team will be able to win the gold medal. Also, it's the result of luck. Ross was born in California in Costa Mesa in 1982. Her family lived in the area with her mother, father and sister. Apart from participating in a variety of sport, she also attended Newport Harbor High School. As a pre-schooler, she competed in the indoor game of volleyball, as well as basketball and track. However, she was a standout in this sport. Her college biography states that she was an outside-hitting hitter middle blocker, and setter throughout her volleyball time at high school. Gatorade Circle Of Champions named her as the National Player of 1999. Also, she won the 1999 Orange County Athlete of the Award for volleyball. Although Ross and Klineman are a couple from 2017 onward, the former was already an established athlete on the beach prior to their team. In reality, she's had numerous big wins and one partner was an all-star volleyball player. Jennifer Kessy was her partner for six years, from 2007 to 2013. She also worked with Klineman and herself. Ross, the teammate of Kessy's, who was the winner of the world championship alongside Kessy in 2009 was also a major force on an international level. The duo eventually captured an Olympic silver medal during the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Misty May, Kerri Walsh and Kerri Jennings were the trio to beat for the gold. Ross Walsh was Walsh Jennings new partner after May-Treanor's departure. Both went on to win the bronze beach volleyball medal in the Rio Olympics 2016. They were joined by Walsh Jennings. Ross was a student athlete with the Trojans of USC prior to her pro career. She played in high school, as well as years prior to hitting the beach professionally. Her experience at USC was quite impressive. In 2000, she was voted Pac-10 Freshman and NCAA Freshman of the Year. She was also named an All-American. In 2000, her Trojans made it to the Final Four. After her sophomore year she was devastated by a personal tragedy, but managed to earn the honor of being named an All-American. In her last two seasons with the Trojans in the program the team was led to victories by winning successive national titles. Her individual achievements have cemented her as a volleyball legend. She was awarded the Honda Sports Award 2003-04 for the nation's best female collegiate player. Ross studied International Relations at USC. Unfortunately, Ross mother Margie never got to see Ross rise to the top levels of beach volleyball stardom. Ross suffered the loss of her mother to breast cancer in 2001. Ross was then a sophomore. But she still keeps her mother in her his heart. Margie remains a constant source of inspiration for her, both on and off the beach.