Fendrick and Ross qualified for the 2017 FIVB World Championships via their international ranking.  A “new” team this season after splitting with their Rio 2016 Olympic partners where Ross collected the bronze medal with Kerri Walsh Jennings and Fendrick placed 19th with Brooke Sweat.  Ross will be competing in her sixth world championships and captured the “trophy” at the 2009 event in Norway with Jen Kessy.  She placed fourth at the 2013 worlds with Whitney Pavlik in Poland.  Fendrick has played in the world championships four times and has placed fifth in the past three with Brooke Niles (Nick Lucena’s wife), Brittany Hochevar and Sweat, respectively.  Ross has been competing on the FIVB World Tour since 2006 with 21 gold medals, including 10 with Kessy and 11 with Walsh Jennings.  Ross and Kessy captured the silver medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games after losing the All-American finale to Misty May-Treanor and Walsh Jennings.  Fendrick began competing in FIVB-sanctioned events in 2007 and captured the gold medal at challenger/satellite events in 2007 with Ashly Ivy Swift.  Both player’s husbands are head Beach Volleyball coaches at American universities - Andrew Fuller (Fendrick) at Stanford and Brad Keenan (Ross) at Arizona State.