Athletes who modeled in the 2024 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition

Sports Illustrated’s 2024 Swimsuit Edition featured nine athletes who have made a name for themselves in the world of sports. We’ll take a look at their career achievements, as well as their reactions to modeling for one of the most prestigious magazine issues in the world.

Maher became immensely popular during the 2024 Olympics as a United States rugby star. She ran the ball with power and brute force, which got the attention of star NFL running back Derrick Henry. He told the NFL’s official website, “Oh yeah, she got it. Mindset. Running strong and hard, not trying to go down, getting to the end zone by any means.”

The 2024 Olympics was a culmination for Maher, whose immersion into the American spotlight had been clinched over a period of years. As Fox 59 noted, she put herself on the map not only by her play on the pitch, but by hilariously documenting her career each step of the way on social media. Maher has participated in two Olympics, and helped lead the U.S. to a historic bronze medal in 2024.

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Not only was Ilona Maher included in Sports Illustrated’s 2024 Swimsuit Edition; she was tabbed as its cover star. Maher loves how her body is perfectly built for her passion, the sport of rugby. She told Sports Illustrated, “I love that rugby showed me what I can do. It showed me how capable my body is and it’s not just like a tool to be looked at and objectified.”

Massari is no stranger to taking the plunge. She’s been a mainstay of the University of Houston’s diving team throughout her collegiate career. She’s originally from Huntington Beach, California, but took her talents to the school that she felt would help her reach her maximum potential as a diver.

Alexa Massari isn’t quite sure if she wants to continue to pursue diving after her collegiate career ends, but has a plan for the future. She told Sports Illustrated, “I would love to do a corporate job as well as a little side modeling.”

After completing her shoot in Belize, Massari’s interest in modeling was piqued. She told Sports Illustrated, “I want to continue something like this. This weekend has been really inspiring, and the women I’ve been talking to have made me feel confident. They’re like ‘If I can do it, you can do it.’ They have this love and appreciation for what they’re doing, and they want to share it.”

Huckaby is used to defying the odds and overcoming adversity. She lost her right leg due to cancer when she was 14 years old, as US Ski and Snowboard’s website notes. With her prosthetic leg and an indomitable will, Huckaby has won three gold medals during her Paralympic career and is a five-time World Champion.

Brenna Huckaby fell in love with snowboarding shortly after she lost her leg, as she writes on her website. It wasn’t long before she put everything she had into the sport. She wrote, “The balance and thrill reminded me of my gymnastics days, and it wasn’t long before I moved to Utah to pursue my new passion.”

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This was Huckaby’s second time posing for the Swimsuit Edition, having done so in 2018 as well. She told them in 2024, “When I first shot with Sports Illustrated way back, I wanted it to mean something for women with disabilities, or who don’t fit the standard of beauty. It was really scary to put myself out there in that way, but seeing the ripple effect of change within the beauty industry has been amazing.”

Williams has made an impact on the field as a softball player for the University of Oregon and the University of Central Florida. She’s been a mainstay at shortstop during her collegiate career, and doesn’t let anything get in the way of making an impact. When she had a hand injury during the 2024 softball season, she still made herself available for pinch running duties as she recovered.

Photo credit: UCF Athletics

When Jas Williams hits home runs on the diamond, social media takes notice. A hashtag called “mombombs” was linked with Williams when she went deep, although ESPN notes that it’s not quite certain how it started. In addition to balancing her college sports and academic life, Williams also tackles motherhood as she takes care of her young son named Zee.

Photo credit: Jasmine Williams, Instagram

As an experienced shortstop, Williams is no stranger to turning two. Despite everything that was already on her plate, the college softball player knew she wanted to be a part of Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit edition. “When this opportunity came about, I could not jump faster. I was like, I want to do this so bad,” she told Sports Illustrated.

Photo credit: UCF Athletics

Hayes has had the type of college basketball career that everyone hopes for. She contributed as a freshman with the University of Cincinnati, and has only improved with each passing year. Her scoring has increased season after season, and she has also made her mark as a rugged rebounder.

In November 2024, Jillian Hayes accomplished something no other women’s basketball player in school history had ever done. She was named Big 12 Player of the Week after a sensational start to the campaign. As featured by WCPO’s website, Hayes has dedicated her career to Darnell Parker, her high school coach who passed away.

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Hayes told Sports Illustrated about her modeling experience, “Being here shooting for Sports Illustrated honestly is indescribable. As collegiate athletes, we work so hard day in and day out on our bodies and on our crafts, trying to be the best versions of athletes that we can be. And so working with such an empowering organization, it’s literally like, I don’t have the words to describe it.”

While many athletes on this list are in the process of building out their athletic careers, Rapinoe’s ranks as one of the best in women’s sports history. She’s one of the most decorated soccer players ever, winning two Women’s World Cups, and an Olympic gold medal. She is one of only four players to record at least 200 caps for the United States, male or female.

The summary of Megan Rapinoe’s book talks about how she fell in love with soccer at four years old, but that her parents instilled a sense of duty in her that remains with her to this day. It’s allowed Rapinoe to take stands for causes that she feels have gone underappreciated, and is not afraid to be the dissenting voice in the room.

2024 was the second time Rapinoe appeared in the Swimsuit Edition, with the first instance coming in 2019. At that time, she told the publication, “I think so often with gay females in sports there’s this particular stereotype about it and there’s such a narrow view of what it means to be gay and athletic. So, to kind of just blow that up and do something totally different I think is really important.”

Dunne is one of the most popular collegiate athletes of her generation. She was an integral part of LSU’s national championship gymnastics team in 2024. She scored a 9.8 on the uneven bars on the way to the title. Dunne told NBC News in April 2024, “I pretty much sacrificed my summers, those pool days, those beach days with your friends. I was in the gym training.” The national title made the sacrifice worth it.

Livvy Dunne hasn’t just been a force in women’s collegiate gymnastics; her brand has evolved into one of the most recognizable in the country. Marca wrote in October 2024 that her “empire” is valued at an estimated $6 million, thanks to her popularity on social media and several lucrative brand partnerships.

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Dunne has been featured in Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit edition in 2023 and 2024, making her somewhat of a recent mainstay. “Last year I said it was a dream come true, and nothing’s changed… It feels unreal,” she said during her shoot in Portugal for the 2024 edition.

Spiranac has made a name for herself in the golf world. She’s put forth many videos as a golf instructor with the idea of helping younger players get their swing off the ground. She recently underscored the importance of new golfers receiving instruction from accredited teachers, rather than their friends.

Paige Spiranac was a highly regarded golf prospect in the 2010s, having played collegiately at the University of Arizona and San Diego State. She was named to the All-Mountain West Conference team when she played for San Diego State. Spiranac never quite caught on with the LPGA, but the New York Post wrote in April 2024 that she might be making a comeback in her early 30s.

2024 was the second time Spiranac was a part of Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit edition. She told the publication ahead of her second appearance, “Being an SI Swimsuit Legend is an incredible honor. It has been a catalyst in changing who I am as a person and how I’ve progressed in my career. The support from SI and the impact it has had is indescribable.”

Bird accomplished pretty much everything possible during her legendary basketball career. She is a 13-time WNBA All-Star, a four-time WNBA champion, and an eight-time All-WNBA selection. Not counting seasons she missed due to injury, Bird played in the WNBA for 19 years. Vanity Fair wrote in January 2024 that she is the league’s all-time winningest player.

Bird came into the WNBA with a lot on her resume. She led the University of Connecticut to two NCAA championships during her collegiate career, showing at that early point in her basketball career that she was the consummate leader and point guard. Bird told UConn magazine that she gained confidence by passing head coach Geno Auriemma’s tests during practice.

Sue Bird is also a two-time swimsuit edition participant, having been featured in 2022 as well. She said in 2022, “To think of all the other women and their stories, and just really understanding that this is about empowerment and showing the differences between all of us, but that’s a good thing. It’s really special to be part of something like this.”

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