American pair April Ross and Keri Walsh-Jennings have been named the 2016 USA Beach Volleyball Team of the Year, the organization announced last week. This is the second time that Walsh-Jennings has won the award, and the third-time that Ross has won.
Together, the pair had another paramount 2016 season. They won a bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Rio when they beat Brazil’s Larissa Franca and Talita Antunes 2-1; they 5 FIVB World Tour events; and Ross was named the AVP Tour MVP after winning all 3 stops that the two entered as a team (Ross played with Kelly Reeves in the championship tournament in Chicago).
“I am so glad Kerri and I got this award this year, it has been a long, great, even though sometimes bumpy, road and I’m so proud of how we handled it all and were able to bring home the bronze medal at the Olympics,” Ross said.
“Winning the team award, in many ways, signifies mission accomplished,” Walsh Jennings said. “Our team (April, Marcio Sicoli, Jon Daze, Gustavo Rocha) worked so hard every step of the way and it was an honor to chase big dreams with them. They made it all so very worth it and special.”
Ross originally planned to sit out the 2017 season, while she and her husband attempted to conceive a child. Two weeks ago, however, Ross changed her plans and decided that she would try again next off-season, with her and Walsh-Jennings all-engines forward toward the 2017 World Championships.
Other 2016 USA Volleyball Award Winners:
- April Ross, women’s Beach Player of the Year
- Phil Dalhausser, men’s Beach Player of the Year
- Jordan Larson, women’s Indoor Player of the Year
- Max Holt, men’s Indoor Player of the Year
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