Everything You Need to Know About the New Bachelorette Gabby Windey

Mar. 15, 2025

After enduring a rollercoaster ride of a time onThe Bachelor, the former NFL cheerleader is keeping her spirits high becauseshe’s taking the leadonThe Bachelorettein the hopes of scoring true love starting July 11.

Not only was the season “the most dramatic,” but it was also very emotional as well as BachelorClayton Echardfell forthree different womenleading up to the finale. Controversy ensued after he announced that he was intimate andin love with each of them.

In the end, Echardbroke up with his final two women, Windey andRachel Recchia, and decided to pursue a relationship withSusie Evans(who previously chose to leaveafter hearing the Fantasy Suite news).

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During the finale, Windey stood her ground when confronting Echard, and denied his traditional request to walk her out post-breakup. She won the hearts of Bachelor Nation, yet again, for her strength and smarts, despite the heavy emotions.

Keep scrolling to learn more about Windey ahead of her run onThe Bacheloretteseason 19.

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Though an Illinois-native, Windey considers Denver, Colorado her home after moving to the Centennial State following her graduation from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. She cheered professionally for the NFL for five years, rooting on the Denver Broncos.

“It really was everything I’ve always wanted to do,” she said during an interview onBacheloralumsMike JohnsonandBryan Abasolo’sTalk It Outpodcast after the show. “It teaches you so much like teamwork, putting others before yourself, a sense of community, and you always have people that have your back. It’s so much more than dance.”

GMA

Not only is Windey an ICU nurse, but she’s a history-making one too! Windey was honored for her work as a registered nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic and became the first woman to receive the Pop Warner Humanitarian Award in 2021.

“Windey is the first female and NFL cheerleader in the history of the award, which has traditionally been awarded to NFL players,” Pop Warner Little Scholarswrote in a press release. “Windey’s selflessness and commitment to helping others are an embodiment of sacrifice and teamwork, making [her] model representatives for young student-athletes across the nation.”

Having built solid friendships on her cheer squad and throughout college, Windey is a self-described “girl’s girl through and through,” she stated onAfter the Final Rose. Even onThe Bachelor,where the house is known to get dramatic, Windey created friendships with the majority of the women.

But it isRecchia, in particular, whom she shares a special bond with after they both endured heartbreak on the show. During the finale, it was announced that Recchia will also be the new Bachelorette alongside Windey next season.

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Windey’s intentions for going onThe Bachelorwere questioned when rumors started to swirl that she had a history with former Bachelor Nation contestantsDean UnglertandBlake Horstmannprior to going on Echard’s season, but she cleared the air on theTalk It Outpodcast.

“I dated Dean over ten years ago,” Windey said of their college relationship. “He was one of my first loves. It was so long ago, it’s a distant past from my experience onThe Bachelor.”

In contrast, she shut down dating rumors about Horstmann, saying, “We never actually went on a date, there were no drinks paid for, no dinner paid for.” She added, “He’s definitely friends with friends, we spent time together, but no official dating … no exclusivity.”

As someone who’s known for her wit and sense of humor, personality is everything for Windey — and if this aspect lacks, he’s a “hard pass,” per herBachelorbio. “Her ideal man will challenge her, communicate his feelings and work hard to equally carry the weight of the relationship.”

Windey added that “she’s hoping to find a man who will love her for the independent woman she is.”

source: people.com