About April
Since her debut on the pro beach volleyball scene in 2006, April Ross has cemented her role as a champion and one of the most universally loved players on tour. Lauded for her powerful serve, energy and competitive drive, April’s easygoing personality off the sand makes her one of today’s most authentic, engaging and accessible athletes.
California born and raised, April began her volleyball career indoors where she was a three-sport athlete at Newport Harbor High and Gatorade National Player of the Year. April then led USC to back-to-back NCAA Championships and was named a Honda Award Winner and Pac-10 Player of the Year in 2003. After time spent playing professionally indoors overseas, April swapped her sneakers for sand and was the AVP Rookie of the Year in 2006 and FIVB Rookie of the Year in 2007.
After nabbing several FIVB championships, including the 2009 FIVB World Championship, April and her then partner, Jennifer Kessy won a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics. April partnered with Kerri Walsh-Jennings for the 2016 Rio Olympics, sweeping every AVP tour stop en route to an inspiring Olympic Bronze. With an eye towards Tokyo 2020, April is playing with breakout star Alix Klineman, with the pair winning gold in their first international tournament in 2017. April trains and lives in Newport Beach, enjoys a weekly spin class, documenting her world-adventures on social media (@aprilrossbeach) and a newfound love of yoga.
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1982
Early Life
Ross was born in Costa Mesa, California to Glen and Margie Ross. Ross grew up in Newport Beach, California where she attended Newport Harbor High School. At NHHS, in addition to lettering in track, she was a star indoor volleyball player, eventually becoming the nation’s top recruit for her graduating class.
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2000
College
Ross attended the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. In her final two seasons, she helped USC to back-to-back NCAA Titles and finished her career among USC’s all-time career record-holders, ranking in the top 6 in eight statistical categories, including first in points (1,430) and points per game, second in service aces (161) and service aces per game (0.38), fourth in attacks (3,859), fifth in kills (1576), kills per game (3.73) and digs (1,296) and sixth in digs per game (3.06). -
2008
Most Valuable Player, Phuket Thailand Open
In 2008, with her beach partner Jennifer Kessy during the Swatch FIVB World Tour 2008, they finished in third place at the ConocoPhillips Grand Slam Stavanger, second place at the Dubai Open and first place at the Phuket Thailand Open, where she was named the Most Outstanding Player. -
2009
AVP Tournament
On September 7, 2008, Ross and Kessy upset the World No. 1 duo of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh at an AVP tournament in Santa Barbara, California. On July 4, 2009, Kessy and Ross won the FIVB World Championships in Stavanger, Norway defeating Brazilians Juliana and Larissa. -
2012
2012 London Olympics
In the 2012 London Olympics, Ross and Kessy won the silver medal when they lost to their country’s Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings in the final by 16-21, 16-21. -
2013
2013 AVP Most Valuable Player
The 2006 AVP rookie of the year has grown into the tour’s MVP. The 2012 Olympic silver medalist was the only women’s player in 2013 to earn three tournament titles. Ross carried her consistent play through a mid-season partnership change, winning two tournament titles with Jen Kessy before partnering with three-time Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings to win the Santa Barbara Open title in her first tournament with Walsh Jennings -
2014
2014 Season
Ross teams up with Kerri Walsh and they immediately establish themselves as the top team on the beach and favorites for Rio 2016, winning every AVP tour to date and winning gold at three FIVB Grand Slam events.