Gabrielle Reece's height, husband, daughters, age, accomplishments, photos

Gabrielle Reece's height, husband, daughters, age, accomplishments, photos

Ciku Njuguna
updated at December 4, 2023 at 5:13 AM

Gabrielle Reece is a former professional volleyball player turned sports commentator. The volleyball legend has built a successful retirement career in entrepreneurship, health, nutrition, fitness, and mental health. Uncover details of Gabrielle Reece's height and more.

Gabrielle Reece's height
Gabrielle Reece poses as a female atlas on September 29, 1997, on Lint's Coyote Dry Lake Bed in Barstow, California. Photo by Joe McNally.
Source: Getty Images

What is Gabrielle Reece known for? Following her athletic success, the former national beach volleyball star became a sought-after fashion model, sports commentator, and TV host. Here are details about Gabrielle Reece's career and accomplishments from the 1990s to date.

Gabrielle Reece's profile summary

Full name

Gabrielle Allyse Reece

Nickname

Gabby, Gab

Gender

Female

Date of birth

6th January 1970

Age

53 years old as of November 2023

Zodiac sign

Scorpio

Place of birth

La Jolla, California, USA

Current residence

Kauai, Hawaii

Malibu, California

Nationality

American

Height

191 centimetres (6'3")

Weight

77.1 kilograms (170 lbs)

Hair colour

Blonde

Eye colour

Grey

Mother

Terry Glynn

Father

Robert Eduardo Reece

Relationship status

Married

Spouse

Laird John Hamilton

Children

2

Education

Keswick Christian High School

Florida State University

Profession

Retired professional athlete, podcast host

Teams played with

Florida State University women's volleyball team

Playing position

Attacker, blocker

Years active

4

Net worth

$25 million

Social media pages

Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Website

How old is Gabrielle Reece?

Gabrielle Reece (age 53 years as of November 2023) was born on the 6th of January 1970 in the seaside town of La Jolla in San Diego, California. Growing up, she lived in various places, including Mexico City, Puerto Rico, the Vgin Islands and St. Petersburg.

How tall is Gabrielle Reece?

Gabrielle Reece's height is six feet and three inches tall (191 centimetres). Growing up, the beach volleyball star-turned-model struggled with body image issues, particularly with her height. Speaking to People, she shared her teenage struggles, saying,

"I grew up very tall. By the time I was twelve, I was six feet tall. It was awkward and different. The worst thing you can be when you are going through puberty and those formative years is to be different."

However, she also recounted the benefits of her height. Breaking into her modelling career, Reece admitted that her height was widely accepted and celebrated.

Gabrielle Reece's parents
Gabrielle Reece at Milk Studios on July 14, 2015, in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Michael Tran/FilmMagic.
Source: Getty Images

How much does Gabrielle Reece weigh?

According to ESPN, Reece weighs 170 pounds (77 kilograms). The former cover girl has dedicated her career to promoting body positivity. While sharing body image lessons, she shared her weight journey while emphasising the importance of healthy choices, saying,

"I went to college at 145 pounds and came out at 162 pounds. I started lifting and realised I was at my ultimate weight to perform or play at 168 lbs."
Where is Gabrielle Reece from?
Gabrielle Reece during the Elle Green Issue Launch Party at Boulevard 3 in Hollywood, California, United States. Photo by Jean Baptiste Lacroix/WireImage.
Source: Getty Images

Biography

The retired athlete was born to a West Indian and Trinidadian father, Robert Eduardo Reece and a white mother, Terry Glynn. Gabrielle Reece's parents separated when she was two, and she lived with her mother's friends from age two to seven. Tragically, Robert Reece, Gabrielle Reece's father, died in a plane crash when she was five years old.

In an interview with UnbeatableMind, she recognised one of her surrogate parents, known only as Laurette and Joe, who raised her for a period before moving in with her mother and stepdad. During her senior year, she lived with her high school principal, Tim and his wife, Becky Greener.

How tall is Gabrielle Reece?
Gabrielle Reece attends the UCLA Department Of Neurosurgery's 2012 Visionary Ball on October 25, 2012, in Beverly Hills, California. Photo by Joe Scarnici/WireImage.
Source: Getty Images

Who is Gabrielle Reece's husband?

The varsity volleyball star is married to Laird John Hamilton, born Zerfas, an extreme athlete and a pioneer in action water sports. The couple wed in 1997 on the Hanalei River in Kauai, Hawaii.

How many children does Gabrielle Reece have?

The eldest of Gabrielle Reece's daughters, Reece Hamilton, was born in October 2003. Five years later, her second-born daughter, Brody Jo, was born on the first of January, missing her previously announced date of birth by a day. The couple's third daughter is Izabella Hamilton from Laird's first marriage to Maria Souza.

Career

Gabby's athletic abilities include running, jumping, climbing, swimming, and surfing. She began playing volleyball as early as the sixth and seventh grades before becoming a professional athlete.

Beach volleyball

Following her career with the FSU volleyball team, she became involved with beach volleyball teams in California. The two-time Varsity Top Offensive Player played for the United States beach volleyball team between 1992 and 2000.

Who is the husband of the volleyball player surfer?
Former volleyball player Gabrielle Reece and her husband Laird Hamilton at the North American debut of the all-new Discovery SUV on November 11, 2016, in Venice, California. Photo by JB Lacroix.
Source: Getty Images

Fashion model

Her modelling career began in 1989. At the time, she was an active FSU volleyball team member. Throughout her modelling career, she featured in magazines such as Men's Fitness, Women's Sports & Fitness, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, and Vogue.

Writing

Away from the beach and the runway, Reece was a prolific writer. She has authored two books, Big Girl In The Middle, co-authored with Karen Karbo, and My Foot Is Too Big for the Glass Slipper. Between 1994 and 1995, she wrote a sports and fitness column for Elle Magazine and another for Conde Nast Sports for Women in 1997 and Women's Sports & Fitness.

Show host

Since she majored in Communications and Media Performance, the multi-talented sportswoman seems right at home in front of the camera. She has hosted several shows, including MTV Sports, The Extremists, NBC's Strong, and Air Bud: Spikes Back. In 2023, Gabrielle Reece captivated the masses with her podcast, The Gabby Reece Show, which tackles nutrition, sports performance, and mental health.

Gabrielle Reece's volleyball position
Gabrielle Reece plays during the AVP Chicago Open Women's four vs four match on August 4, 2007, in Chicago, Illinois. Photo by Ross Dettman.
Source: Getty Images

Gabrielle Reece's accomplishments

As a fashion model, the fitness guru was named one of People Magazine's 50 most beautiful people. Here are more of the former beach volleyball player's accomplishments.

  1. 1989 Rolling Stone Magazine's Wonder Woman of Sports
  2. 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 League kills leader
  3. 1994, 1995 Offensive Player of the Year
  4. 1994 Most Improved Player
  5. 1993 League blocks leader
  6. 1992, 1993 MVP of the 4-Woman Volleyball Tour
  7. 1990 Nation's Most Inspiring Collegiate Athlete
What is Gabrielle Reece known for?
Team Nike's Gabrielle Reece prepares to serve in San Diego, California, during the 1996 Bud Light Tour on August 24, 1996. Photo by Markus Boesch/Allsport.
Source: Getty Images

Quick facts

In addition to wearing many hats, Gab has honed her talents in sports and show business. Here are more facts about one of Elle Magazine's five most beautiful women in the world.

1. What ethnicity was Gabrielle Reece's father?

Born in Port of Spain, Trinidad, several tabloids, including IMDb, claim that Robert Eduardo Reece was Afro-Trinidian. In an interview with Madame Noire, she revealed that her grandfather was black and most of her family were Trinidadian.

2. How did Laird Hamilton and Gabrielle Reece meet?

Reece met her husband, Laird John Hamilton, on the northern shore of Maui in 1995 while filming the Surf or Die episode of The Extremists. Teaming up with the big-wave rider on a surfboard marked the start of their love story.

2. Who was Gabrielle Reece's volleyball partner?

During her active career, Reece played for Florida State University, Team Nike, and the United States Women's volleyball team. These include Stephanie Cox, Linda Hanley, Holly McPeak, Wendy Stammer, Barb Bierman, Jeanne Goldsmith and Karrie Poppinga.

4. Did Gabby Reece go to the Olympics?

Although she had considerable success in college and the national circuit, she did not participate in any Olympic games. According to sources, beach volleyball was incorporated into the Olympics later in 1996.

5. Is Gabrielle Reece on Instagram?

As a leading voice in health and fitness, Reece has amassed a significant following on almost all social media pages. Here is a summary of her followers as of November 2023.

Instagram

235,000

Facebook

108,000

TikTok

55,600

X(Twitter)

29,800

YouTube

2,840

Who is the volleyball star turned model?
Team Nike's Gabrielle Reece spiked the ball during the 1996 Bud Light Tour in San Diego, California, on August 24, 1996. Photo by Markus Boesch/Allsport.
Source: Getty Images

6. How much is Gabriel Reece worth?

According to reports, as of November 2023, Gabby has a net worth of $25 million. That is the combined net worth of her and her husband, professional surfer Laird Hamilton.

Final word

Gabrielle Reece's height and weight may have given her an edge in sports and modelling. The former professional athlete has continued to inspire change in physical health, fitness, body positivity and nutrition.

READ MORE: A ranked list of the best black Beach Volleyball players

Sports Brief published an article rating top-performing beach volleyball players of African origin. The sport features some of the most passionate and talented players who have received top league awards. Find out more fascinating details of some of the best beach volleyball athletes of colour.

Authors
Ciku Njuguna photo
Ciku Njuguna
Ciku Njuguna is a journalist with 3 year’s experience in content creation based in Kenya. She currently covers sports personnel as well as team biographies.