Challenges: MPF percentile
63%
Seasons: 1 | Days played: 39 | Wins: 0 | Final Two: 1
- Survivor: Marquesas (2002) - 2nd place, 3 jury votes
- Received three jury votes to finish second (4-3), in Episode 13, "The Sole Survivor" (Day 39).
| Challenge stats | Tribal council stats | Jury stats | Overall stats | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | ChW | ChA | ChW% | VFB | VAP | TCA | TC% | wTCR | JVF | TotJ | JV% | SurvSc | SurvAv |
| S4: Marquesas | 2.34 | 13.46 | 0.17 | 9 | 4 | 10 | 0.89 | 3.15 | 3 | 7 | 0.43 | 1.50 | 8.06 |
| Career | 2.34 | 13.46 | 0.17 | 9 | 4 | 10 | 0.89 | 3.15 | 3 | 7 | 0.43 | 1.50 | 8.06 |
Neleh Dennis - Performance ranks
Tribal: VFB% percentile
89%
Tribal: rVAP percentile
88%
Performance ranks are a quick visual measure of the contestant's season vs. historical data from all prior contestants, in three basic (scorable) categories:
1. Performance in individual challenges (MPF), as a measure of "physical game";
2. Ability to vote people out consistently (VFB%, or VFB/TCA), or "strategic game"; and
3. Ability to avoid being voted against (rVAP, or TCA-VAP) - which scales better than a percentage would - for "social/strategic game."
See also: Full glossary for all these abbreviations.
Neleh Dennis - Challenge record
Marquesas
challenges 
Tribal/team challenge record (7-for-11; 1 sit-out):
- Marquesas Ep. 1 IC: "Outrigger Fire Quest" - Helps carry the canoe, and Rotu wins big.
- Marquesas Ep. 2 RC: "Do or Dive" - Dives, rows the boat, and Rotu wins again.
- Marquesas Ep. 2 IC: "Marquesan Menu" - Wins the tiebreaker vs. Boston Rob, and Rotu wins!
- Marquesas Ep. 3 RC: "Raft Rescue" - Sits out, as Rotu wins again.
- Marquesas Ep. 3 IC: "Coconut Maze Race" - Never the caller, but pulls ropes, and Rotu wins.
- Marquesas Ep. 4 IC: "Life's a Tapestry" - Now with Maraamu, which seems lost, as Maraamu loses again.
- Marquesas Ep. 5 RC: "Tiki Tower" - Blindfolded, collects and builds tiki pieces, and finally Maraamu wins!
- Marquesas Ep. 5 IC: "Distress Signal" - Thanks to a flag and a stolen blanket, Maraamu wins again.
- Marquesas Ep. 6 RC: "Jungle Relay" - Unties the second paddle with Paschal, and Maraamu wins!
- Marquesas Ep. 6 IC: "Maze" - Maraamu runs around in circles, finds just two planks, loses (5-2).
- Marquesas Ep. 9 RC: "Coconut Juice" - Paired with Zoe; makes good progress, but does not win.
Individual challenge record (1-for-11): (Mean % finish: 60.7%)
- Marquesas Ep. 7 IC: "Sea Legs" - First person to drop out, fairly quickly (10th/10).
- Marquesas Ep. 8 RC: "Go Fly a Kite" - One of eight to not get their kite off the ground (tie-2nd/9).
- Marquesas Ep. 8 IC: "Parang Swing" - Seventh person out, chopped by Tammy (3rd/9).
- Marquesas Ep. 9 IC: "High Stepping" - Eliminated by Tammy in the first round (tie-5th/8).
- Marquesas Ep. 10 RC: "Rock Bottom" - Eliminated in the third round, gets reward anyway (5th/7).
- Marquesas Ep. 10 IC: "Virtues of Fire" - Waiting for her popcorn as the challenge ends (tie-3rd/7).
- Marquesas Ep. 11 IC: "Sands of Time" - Loses a final showdown vs. Vee (2nd/6).
- Marquesas Ep. 12 RC: "Second Chance" - Still on the coconut juice as Sean wins (tie-2nd/5).
- Marquesas Ep. 12 IC: "Marquesan Folklore" - Acquires five tikis, drops one, does not win (2nd/5)
- Marquesas Ep. 13 F4 IC: "Fallen Comrades" - Gets nine answers right, does not win (2nd/4).
- Marquesas Ep. 13 F3 IC: "Hand on a Hard Idol" - Lasts 4 hrs, 30 min., and Neleh wins! (1st/3).
Redemption/Exile Island duel record (0-for-0):
- Marquesas: None.
Career totals - challenges
| Wins: | 7 |
| Played: | 11 |
| Win%: | 0.64 |
| Sat out: | 1 |
| Wins: | 1 |
| Played: | 11 |
| Win%: | 0.09 |
| Mean% Finish: | 60.7% |
| Wins: | 0 |
| Played: | 0 |
| Win%: | - |
| Mean% Finish: | - |
Neleh Dennis - Tribal Council record
Marquesas
Tribal Council 
Idols held/played:
- Marquesas: None.
VFB - Votes for the person booted (9/10):
| Tribal | Voted | Boot (totals) | VFB? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ep4 | Sarah | Sarah Jones (voted out, 4-1) | Yes |
| Ep6 | Gina | Gina Crews (voted out, 3-1) | Yes |
| Ep7 | Boston Rob | Boston Rob Mariano (voted out, 7-2-1) | Yes |
| Ep8 | John | John Carroll (voted out, 6-3) | Yes |
| Ep9 | Zoe | Zoe Zanidakis (voted out, 7-1) | Yes |
| Ep10 | Tammy | Tammy Leitner (voted out, 5-2) | Yes |
| Ep11 | Robert | Robert DeCanio (voted out, 5-1) | Yes |
| Ep12 | Sean | Sean Rector (voted out, 3-2) | Yes |
| Ep13 (F4) | Kathy | Paschal English (out via rocks, 2-2; rock draw) | - |
| Ep13 (F3) | Kathy | Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien (voted out, 1-0) | Yes |
| 10 | TOTALS | 9 | |
VAP - Votes against (4):
- Marquesas, Ep. 12: Two votes, from Sean and Vee.
- Marquesas, Ep. 13 (F4 vote): Two votes, from Kathy and Vee.
Jury votes received (3/7):
- Marquesas, Ep. 13: Received three jury votes, from Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien, Paschal English, and Zoe Zanidakis, to finish second (4-3).
Career totals - Tribal Council
| Found: | 0 |
| Played: | - |
| Votes voided: | - |
| VFB: | 9 |
| Tribals: | 10 |
| VAP: | 4 |
| Made: | - |
| Received: | 3 |
| Total jurors: | 7 |
Neleh Dennis - Pictures
Marquesas
image gallery -
Marquesas intro shot -
Marquesas intro shot -
On the boat, Day 1 -
Paddling to Rotu beach -
Hometown intro headshot -
Opening the crate ... full of no food -
Talking about the mostly empty crate -
Talking about the Day 2 hike for water -
Rotu finds its water source -
Rotu (belatedly) has fire! -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep1 IC -
Starting line -
Pushing the boat out -
Rotu, first back to shore -
Rotu wins! -
Talking about Rotu's lack of food, Ep2 -
Preparing some delicious snails -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep2 RC -
Starting line -
Rotu, leading (as always) -
Rotu wins fishing gear! -
Reading the IC treemail -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep2 IC -
Facing off vs. Boston Rob in the tiebreaker -
Rotu wins immunity! -
Watching the Ep3 RC from the sit-out raft -
Rotu wins! -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep3 IC -
Pulling the ropes -
Rotu wins immunity! -
Time to swap, Ep4 -
Zoe is still Rotu... -
Checking out the new camp -
There's so much fruit here! -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep4 IC -
Starting line -
Not making much progress -
Oh no, we lost. Whatever shall we do. -
Heading to Tribal -
Maraamu, Ep4 Tribal Council -
Listening to Probst -
Praying for a win, Ep5 -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep5 RC -
Heading out to collect logs -
Building the tiki puzzles -
Maraamu wins! -
Ready to raid the Rotu camp -
Mission accomplished -
Gina says it's just nice to win something -
Maraamu's distress signal, Ep5 IC -
Maraamu wins immunity! -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep6 RC, seeing Gabe's gone -
Rob wasn't here yet! -
Maraamu wins on reversal! -
Reward feasting -
Measuring Paschal's "heat" -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep6 IC -
Starting line -
Getting a bit lost -
Maraamu, Ep6 Tribal Council -
Listening to Probst -
Reading the ambassador treemail, Ep7 -
It's the merge! -
Returning to Rotu camp -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep7 IC -
Starting line -
Rob touched the platform! -
Soliantu, Ep7 Tribal Council -
Listening to Probst -
I got a kite and a new outfit out of this! Ep8 -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep8 RC -
Starting line -
Checking treemail -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep8 IC -
John eliminates Sean first -
Convincing Paschal they should flip on Rotu -
Soliantu, Ep8 Tribal Council -
Listening to Probst -
Celebrating the new majority, Ep9 -
It's good to be in charge! -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep9 RC -
Starting line -
Tammy and the General propose flipping back -
Reading the stilts IC treemail -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep9 IC -
Eliminated by Tammy -
Soliantu, Ep9 Tribal Council -
Listening to Probst -
Listening to treemail, Ep10 -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep10 RC -
Starting line -
Seeing Paschal off for his cruise ship reward -
Neleh gets to go, too! -
Water cheers! -
Talking about the reward -
Anyone want my mint? -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep10 IC -
Starting line -
Soliantu, Ep10 Tribal Council -
Listening to Probst -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep11 RC -
The loved ones are here! -
Watching the loved ones compete -
Hugging her mom goodbye -
The non-rewardees commisserate -
Arrival, Ep11 IC -
Showdown with Vee -
Yay, Vee won -
Soliantu, Ep11 Tribal Council -
Listening to Kathy -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep12 RC -
Starting line -
Working on the tiki statue -
Congratulating Sean on his VUE -
Tribe meeting getting heated -
It was heated! -
Story time with Probst, Ep12 IC -
Almost finished... -
You each dropped a tiki?!? -
Heading to Tribal -
Soliantu, Ep12 Tribal Council -
Listening to Probst -
Discussing past tribemates in preparation for the IC, Ep13 -
Heading to Tribal/IC -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep13 Final 4 IC -
Match point... -
Discussing the tie vote and rocks -
The rock draw, ready to reveal... -
Heading out for the Day 38 time-filling activities -
Body art project time -
Oh yay, Rites of Passage -
Purification ceremony... -
... and *finally*, pre-challenge lineup, Final 3 IC -
Starting line -
Still going... -
After 4 hrs, 30 minutes, Kathy slips -
Deal reached with Vee, and Neleh wins! -
Guaranteed a spot in the final two -
Final 3 Tribal Council -
Final two! -
Reflecting on her game -
Burning Paschal's pants -
Leaving camp one last time -
Final Tribal Council, ready to face the jury -
Addressing the jury -
Reunion show, waiting for the vote reveal -
Congratulating Vee -
Reunion show, talking to Rosie O'Donnell -
The final two -
Full cast, reunion show
Neleh Dennis - Interviews
Marquesas
interviews Pre-game interviews
- None found.
Post-game interviews
- Scott D. Pierce for Deseret News (6/29/02): "Now Neleh's a morning person"
- Doug Robinson for Deseret News (4/28/14): "Neleh - From TV's Survivor to motherhood"
- Rob Cesternino at RHAP (11/19/15): "Neleh Dennis Recaps Cambodia Episode 9"
Neleh Dennis - Bio
Marquesas
bio Official CBS Marquesas bio excerpts (circa January, 2002):
"Neleh Dennis was born in Heber City, Utah, and is one of eight siblings (five brothers, Tom, John, Devin, Nathan and Landon, and two sisters, McKenna and Robyn). She was named after her maternal grandmother, Helen. Same name, only spelled backwards. Dennis has lived in California, Idaho, and most recently, Layton, Utah. She graduated from Layton High School in 1998.
Dennis was a member of the Layton High Drill Team, which placed second in a national competition her senior year. While in high school, Neleh taught dance, sang in choir, enjoyed theatre, donated time and energy to the Special Olympics and worked closely with mentally challenged young adults. Dennis also earned her Certified Nurse Assistance certificate before graduation and worked full-time with Alzheimer's patients in a nursing care center where she was promoted to Team Leader. During the summer, she worked as a lifeguard.
After graduation, Neleh attended Weber State University and earned an Associate degree. She was accepted into the nursing program, but decided to pursue a degree in psychology. Dennis is currently working on a Bachelor of Science in psychology with an emphasis on child and family studies. In addition, she took scuba diving lessons while in school. She also worked part-time as a psych tech on an adult psychiatric ward at a local hospital.
...
Neleh Dennis describes herself as happy, outgoing and loving. Dennis enjoys country dancing, camping, boating, snowboarding, working out and waterskiing. She also enjoys exploring new places, going for long drives in the country, picnicking and four-wheeling. Ever the adventurer, she is a member of the Mountaineering Club. She currently resides with her parents, three of her brothers, her two ferrets, Bandit and Chance, and one dog, Rascal. Neleh has a major sweet tooth and loves to eat. Her birth date is February 19."