PERSONAL: Born Gabriel Bryan Gardner in San Diego, Calif. Grew up in San Clemente, CA… Now calls Sacramento, Calif., home… Parents are Frank and Deborah Gardner… Has three brothers: Phinney, Zack and Nick… Gabe attended San Clemente (Calif.) High School and also was the goal keeper on the water polo team and star basketball player… Gabe was named the Orange County Athlete of the Year in 1995… Gabe and his wife Julie, who is a physician, were married in Santorini, Greece, on Sept. 3, 2004, following the Olympic Games… In August, 2007, they welcomed son Harper to the family… Gabe graduated with a Human Biology degree from Stanford… While they were at Stanford, Gabe and now-wife Julie used to double-date with Google founder Sergey Brin and his then-girlfriend, who also went to Stanford. Brin was in the process of starting Google and once asked Gabe about working for the Web search engine, but Gabe chose volleyball instead… Enjoys surfing, beach volleyball and playing the guitar… Was an Overseas Pro League Champion twice (Argentina 2003 and Turkey 2005).

OVERSEAS/PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE and EXPERIENCES (YR): (1) Played for two teams...EAB Patras (Greece) and Huelva (Spain). Both teams struggled financially. But I was able to do a lot of traveling that year all over Italy and Spain with my now wife Julie, all in a BMW named Betsy (i miss you girl!). (2) Played in Greece again, and really felt my skills improving for a return to the national team. Olympiada Patras, where I met a number of great Greek friends and had a good time in the city itself (first carnival in Greece was a blast and father enjoyed it with me!). (3) Arrived in Buenos Aires Argentina for what would soon become the launching point of my career. Team Bolivar (city in the Pampas region of Argentina) Signia opened that year by the famous Argentina T.V. hose Marcello Tinelli, where we won the championship in its first year in dramatic fashion. I led the team in attack percentage for the season, and was a top 4 overall player. (4) Moved nearby to Brazil after a good year in Argentina. Played in a town near Sao Paulo named Suzanno. The team lost in the semi finals, but played with a number of now internationally recognized Brazilians. Brother Nick joined me for a while in Brazil and overall we had a great time. Carnival this time was not in Rio, but spent in rainy town named Guaduja near Sao Paulo. (5) Following a successful Olympics played my first year in Turkey, Ereglie. A little town on the black Sea was home to the largest Steel producer in Turkey...who also ran sports teams. A number of Americans played with me that year including Brook Billings and Donald Suxho, and we actually went nearly the whole season undefeated at 31-0 before loosing a late non important match. Won the championship in dominating fashion, not loosing a set. (6) Arrived in Hiroshima Japan to play with famous Russian coach Gennaldy Parshines for JT Thunders (I learned some Russian). Loved Japan, and had a great time in the city of peace itself. Ended up the year strong winning 7 of last 8 matches to squeek into playoffs, and end up winning Tokuten Oh! (best scorer in the league) I love Japanese culture! (7) Returned to Turkey to play in Istanbul, and magical city itself. Played for Istanbul Berkshir Belidye, a team run by the actual major of Istanbul himself. Had an interesting year which found me fighting as the only foreign player on the team, but coming up just short of the championship (took second by 2 points). I did win best spiker of the year. Had other friends playing in Istanbul with me like Peter Olree, James Polster, and Dave McKenzie. It was a fun time in Istanbul and a great city to visit. (8) Finally after 7 years pro I made it to A1 Italy in Milan. The arrival was unfortunately some bad luck. Arrived to a strong team, but financial problems were everywhere. Team ends up 9th, just out of the playoff picture. I did however, get a number of chances to see beautiful places all over Italy with my wife and son...including Florence, Monte Carlo, Cannes, Cinque Terre, Venice, and Como to name a few. It was a great year in Italy because of family!

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2008 – NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualifying Championship (Gold Medal). 2007 – FIVB World Cup… NORCECA Continental Championship (Gold Medal)… FIVB World League (Bronze Medal). 2006 – FIVB World Championships… FIVB World League… Argentina Tour. 2005 – FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament (Gold Medal). 2004 – Athens Olympian (4th) NORCECA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (Gold Medal)… Japan Tour… Houston Series… USA Global Challenge (Gold Medal)… Serbia and Montenegro Tour (Silver Medal)… Olympic Games (Fourth Place). 2003 – Colorado/Nebraska Tour… Canada Tour… Pan American Games (Fourth Place)… World Cup (Fourth Place). 2002 – Dallas Tour… Six-Nation Tournament (Italy)… Louisville Tour. 1999 – Pan American Games. World University Games .1998 – France Trip… Portugal Trip. 1995 – World University Games.

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2008 – Helped the U.S. Men won to qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing by winning the NORCECA Olympic Qualifier in Caguas, Puerto Rico. 2007 – Gabe moved from outside hitter to opposite at the start of the 2007 season and adjusted well… Gabe finished the season as the team's fourth-leading scorer with 329 points. He averaged 3.82 points per set. Averaged 3.27 kills per set… Gabe was the United States’ second-leading scorer and 18th overall at the FIVB World Cup where the U.S. Men finished fourth. He finished with 118 points on 101 kills, 12 blocks and five aces. His 101 kills was second best for the U.S. Men. Gabe was the leading scorer in three World Cup matches for the U.S. Men, including the final match agaainst Russia, in which he scored 21 points as the U.S. Men lost in five sets… Was the United States' sixth-leading scorer of the NORCECA Continental Championship, where he shared time at opposite with Clay Stanley. Gabe finished with 27 points on 24 kills, one block and two aces… Gabe Was the United States’ leading “spiker”, and third overall, in World League pool play and was credited with a success percentage of 62.23. In the final round, he was credited with a 55.84 percent success rate, which was the best among the U.S. players and fourth overall. He was also the team’s second-leading scorer in both pool play and the final round. 2006 – Competed in the FIVB World League where the U.S. Men finished tied for 10th… Gabe helped the win the Argentina series 4-1. 2005 – Earned a gold medal in August at the FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament as the USA Men qualified for the 2006 World Championships. 2004 – Gabe made his first-ever Olympic appearance in Athens, Greece as the USA Men finished fourth overall… Team USA qualified for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, by winning the NORCECA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Caguas, Puerto Rico on Jan. 10… he men posted a perfect record of 6-0 en route to the gold medal, which included a come-from-behind, 3-2 win over Cuba in the championship match... Scored 10 points on nine kills and one service ace in the championship match. 2003 – Returned from a leg injury suffered at the Pan American Games in August to play in the World Cup in November… Saw considerable action and finished seventh on the team in scoring with 62 points on 56 kills and six blocks. 2002 – Played in the first three tours of the season… Still ranked second on the team in kills per set (2.28) and fourth in points per set (2.70)… Was eighth on the team in kills (91) and in total points (108)… Scored 18 points (14 kills, three blocks, one ace) as the U.S. swept defending Olympic champion Yugoslavia on June 6 for its only win in Italy. 1999 – Started for the Pan American Games squad at outside hitter. 1998 – Led the team with 25 kills in a match against Portugal…Also tallied 16 kills in the last match of the series against Portugal.

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: Played two seasons at USC and one year at Stanford. 1999 – Led Stanford with 6.79 kills per game in 47 games and 13 matches played… Despite missing nine matches, still second on the team with 319 kills… Ranked third on the squad with 1.64 digs per game. 1998 – Sat out a season after transferring from USC. 1997 – Played in 15 matches for USC before deciding to transfer… Was third on the team with 342 kills, hitting .308… Added 41 blocks, 90 digs and 13 aces… Posted 20 or more kills 11 times and hit the 30-plus kill plateau three times… Registered a career-high 41 kills against Pepperdine in his last match as a Trojan. 1996 – As a starter, led the Trojans with 490 kills, hitting .245… Ranked 11th nationally in kills per game (5.51)… Named to the Asics/Volleyball Magazine Freshmen All-America team and earned honorable mention All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federations honors.