Gail Marquis


Gail Annette Marquis is an American former basketball player who competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics.

USA Basketball

Marquis was named to the USA Basketball National Team to represent the US at the 1976 Olympics, the first year that women's basketball would be played at the Olympics. The USA team ended with a record of 3–2, losing to the eventual gold medal champion USSR in the semifinal game, and winning the final game against Czechoslovakia to take home the silver medal.
Marquis remained on the National team in the subsequent year as the team competed in the 1977 World University Games. After winning the opening game against Germany, Marquis had a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds to help the USA team defeat Mexico. Marquis scored 16 points in a close game against Romania, which USA team won 76–73. The USSR team was too strong for the USA team, winning twice against the USA team, including the gold medal game. The USA team captured the silver medal. Marquis was the third leading scorer on the team, averaging 12.0 points per game and the second leading rebounder, with 7.0 per game.

After basketball

Following her basketball career, Gail Marquis went on to become a Wall Street executive. In 2011, she married Audrey Smaltz. Her life story is chronicled in a 2016 University of Phoenix commercial.