Swimsuit

Hailey Van Lith Brings Back Beloved Summer Fabric for Beach-Ready Photo Drop

The 2025 SI Swimsuit digital cover model is showcasing some seaside fashion during the WNBA offseason.

Bailey Colon

Hailey Van Lith was photographed by Taylor Ballantyne in Fort Worth, Texas.
Hailey Van Lith was photographed by Taylor Ballantyne in Fort Worth, Texas. / Taylor Ballantyne/Sports Illustrated

We’ve witnessed Hailey Van Lith wearing lots of sky blue throughout the recent months—both in the fold and on the court.

The 5-foot-9 Washington native made her debut with the WNBA’s Chicago Sky on May 17. Less than a week prior, she scored her first in-print feature with the magazine, and fittingly wore a white and baby blue Frankies Bikinis suit for her photoshoot in Fort Worth, Texas.

Hailey Van Lith was photographed by Taylor Ballantyne in Fort Worth, Texas.
Hailey Van Lith was photographed by Taylor Ballantyne in Fort Worth, Texas. Swimsuit by Frankies Bikinis. / Taylor Ballantyne/Sports Illustrated

Van Lith’s ’fit

On Monday, Oct. 27, Van Lith highlighted the signature shade again in her latest swimwear look, posted to Instagram. The multifaceted model—who first joined the brand as its fourth-ever digital cover star in April, following Alix Earle, Ilona Maher and Brianna LaPaglia—styled a plunging pastel cover-up over a solid black string bikini. The long-sleeve maxi dress also exhibited a detailed crochet pattern, which was on full display as the baller pulled back her strawberry blonde hair.

Also spotted on...

Crochet has been making a resurgence this fall, and Van Lith is not the only SI Swimsuit model loving the style. Over the weekend, Olivia Ponton debuted another crochet cover-up on her own feed. Contrasting Van Lith’s blue hue, the two-time model, who made stops in Montenegro and Dominica with the magazine, opted for bubble pink. However, Ponton stuck with a similar style to the basketball player and donned a long-sleeve maxi dress. Learn more about her look here.

The rookie’s offseason agenda

Van Lith seems to be soaking up sunrays before heading back to the court in 2026. However, before the WNBA begins its preseason session in the spring, the soon-to-be sophomore guard disclosed that she will be joining Unrivaled, founded by fellow SI Swimsuit model, Breanna Stewart, and Napheesa Collier. While its season schedule has yet to be announced, its first matchups will commence on Jan. 5.

SI Swimsuit models and inaugural players with the 3 vs. 3 league include Cameron Brink and Skylar Diggins, who will both join Van Lith on the court for their second years with the franchise.

“I think the number one offseason plan is to get healthy and take care of my body,” Van Lith also declared in an exit interview following the conclusion of the WNBA season. The Sky finished 12th among the league’s 13 teams, with a 10-34 record. Van Lith averaged 3.5 points and 1.6 assists in her debut season.

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Bailey Colon
BAILEY COLON

Bailey Colón is a writer on the Breaking and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Before joining SI Swimsuit, Colón worked at the National Basketball Association where she served as a founding member of the ‘Starting 5’ newsletter and led editorial operations for the NBA App and dotcom. Colón is particularly passionate about the impact of athletics on popular culture, fashion and media. The New England native has a bachelor’s degree from Marist College in journalism and political science.

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