Sponsored Content SportsEngine, a brand from NBC Sports Next is the leading provider of Sport Relationship Management (SRM) software, empowering athletes, parents, coaches, and sports organization administrators with tools and services to manage their organizations and sports lives. Read SportsEngine stories Athletes to Watch: April Ross & Alix Klineman July 29, 2020 | 1 minute, 12 seconds read Ross, the 2012 Olympic silver and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, has joined forces with the six-foot-five Klineman, a Stanford grad and recent convert from indoors, who is seven years her junior. Together they won the first FIVB tournament they entered in January 2018, and have only seen continued success since then, winning five AVP tournaments and finishing second at the 2019 World Championships, making them the clear favorite among the American teams contending for a Tokyo spot. The duo is coached by Ross’s 2012 Olympic partner, Jennifer Kessy. Visit Alix's Team USA profile Visit April's Team USA profile Athlete Info Alix Klineman April Ross Sport Beach Volleyball Beach Volleyball Height 6'5" 6'1" Date of Birth December 30, 1989 June 20, 1982 Hometown Manhattan Beach, CA Costa Mesa, CA Current Residence Manhattan Beach, CA Costa Mesa, CA Trivia Alix has a love of Brazil as she wants to learn Portuguese and live in the South American country for a few years. April's go-to snack before or after hitting the gym is the Smucker's Uncrustables. She's also become an official spokesperson for the peanut butter and jelly product. Grow your Olympic knowledge Origin Stories: Christian Taylor Christian Taylor has one goal in mind, breaking the triple-jump record that's stood since 1995. The Embodiment of Los Angeles From Adam Rippon’s Viewpoint Adam Rippon shares what inspired him to create his LA28 'A' Ilona Maher on the Post-Olympic Blues and Body Image Understand the lows Ilona Maher experienced after the Tokyo Olympics and the criticism she’s received about body image. Athletes to Watch: Sandi Morris Learn more about pole vaulter Sandi Morris. SportsEngine Spotlight: Oksana Masters Get to know four-time Paralympic gold medalist and multi-sport athlete Oksana Masters in this SportsEngine Spotlight. The Fine Art of Parenting an Athlete: 10 Takeaways from the Tokyo Olympics What can the Olympics teach us about parenting successful athletes? Athletes to Watch: Mallory Weggemann Learn how other Paralympians inspired para-swimmer Mallory Weggemann to get back in the pool after an life-changing injury. StrongerTogether – Tokyo 2020 Olympic Film feat. Usain Bolt, Naomi Osaka The world only moves forward when we move together. Athletes to Watch: Helen Maroulis Get to know wrestler Helen Maroulis. Karate Explained Featuring Sakura Kokumai Join Rutledge Wood as he gets a crash-course lesson in Kata, one of the forms of Karate that will be in the Olympics for the first time Athletes to Watch: 2020 Tokyo Paralympics Get to know some of the athletes representing Team USA at the Tokyo Paralympic Games. Hallie Clarke Becomes Youngest World Champion in Skeleton After Switch From USA Hallie Clarke became the first teenager to win a world championship in skeleton, doing so less than a year after switching from the U.S. back to Canada. View More sports in this article Beach Volleyball tags in this article 2020 Summer Olympics Athletes to Watch Fan SportsEngine