4 Powerful Photos of Big 12 Athlete Alexa Massari to Inspire Your Next Tropical Vacation

The University of Houston diver made a splash in the 2024 SI Swimsuit Issue.

Alexa Massari was photographed by Derek Kettela in Belize. / Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

Big 12 athlete Alexa Massari never imagined in her wildest dreams that she would grace the pages of the SI Swimsuit Issue. The Huntington Beach, Calif., native, who is a junior in college and a member of the University of Houston swim and dive team, made her debut in the 2024 issue.

Massari was photographed by Derek Kettela on the stunning beaches of Belize, and her photos in the 60th anniversary issue are nothing short of incredible.

“Coming into the shoot, I was really nervous, but MJ [Day] and Derek relaxed me and told me it’s just like another correction from a coach. So that was [comforting] to me and they did absolutely amazing and I’m so excited,” Massari said of her experience on set. “I was nervous, but everything just kind of came together.”

The model posed alongside fellow Big 12 athletes, including University of Central Florida softball player Jas Williams and Cincinnati basketball player Jillian Hayes.

“I’m feeling so proud of myself and excited to see how the photos turned out,” she said while on location, and later described the experience, which was her first photo shoot ever, as a “pinch me moment” on Instagram.

Massari was introduced to the brand and SI Swimsuit models Brooks Nader, Ellie Thumann and Nicole Wiliams English last year, when they visited the UH campus as part of its Be You Women’s Empowerment series in partnership with the Big 12 conference and Maybelline Cosmetics.

“At first I was kind of hesitant,” Massari told the Houston Chronicle. “I wanted to show up to see what they had to say, but I wasn’t initially wanting to add my name to the list for the photo
shoot to be chosen. When I got there, I ended up talking to one of the models on the
panel. She told me to try it out and see. That kind of gave me a boost of confidence.”

View some of our favorite photos from her 2024 photo shoot in Belize below.

Alexa Massari was photographed by Derek Kettela in Belize. Swimsuit by INDAH. / Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

Alexa Massari was photographed by Derek Kettela in Belize. Swimsuit by Bad N Bare. / Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

Alexa Massari was photographed by Derek Kettela in Belize. Swimsuit by Ola Vida. / Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

Alexa Massari was photographed by Derek Kettela in Belize. Swimsuit by BECCA by Rebecca Virtue. / Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated