5 Gorgeous Photos of BFrank Founder and Swim Search Finalist Ashley Byrd in the Dominican Republic

The former college basketball player made her SI Swimsuit debut last year.

Ananya Panchal | Apr 21, 2023

Ashley Byrd was photographed by Yu Tsai in the Dominican Republic.

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Former college basketball player Ashley Byrd made her SI Swimsuit debut last year as a Swim Search finalist. The Southern University student was a first-generation college graduate who earned a degree in criminal justice as well as a master’s in public administration.

She moved from her hometown of Amite, La., to pursue her dream of being a full-time model in Los Angeles and has seen success over the past few years. The 34-year-old, who was featured in Ciara’s “Jump” music video last July, said attending an SI Swimsuit event changed her life and gave her the courage to chase her dreams.

“SI has helped me discover a passion of my own. It made me realize that sharing my story can inspire someone else,” the BFrank founder added. “I love how they empower women and that I get to be a part of a community that’s always encouraging, uplifting and wants to see you do your absolute best. I didn’t grow up with that. So being surrounded by a group of supportive women is amazing.”

Here are five of our favorite photos from Byrd’s 2022 photo shoot with Yu Tsai in the Dominican Republic.

MTg5NDU2MzMzNzIyODg3Nzc3 — Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

MTg5NDU2MzMzOTkxMzIzMjMz — Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

MTg5NDU2MzMzNzIzMDg0Mzg1 — Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

MTg5NDU2MzMzNzIyODg3NDMw — Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

MTg5NDU2MzMzNzIzMDE4NTAy — Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

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Published Apr 21, 2023

ANANYA PANCHAL

Ananya Panchal is a NYC-based Lifestyle & Trending News writer at SI Swimsuit. Before joining the Swim team, the Boston University Alum worked for culture & entertainment beats at Bustle, The San Francisco Chronicle and the TODAY Show. When Ananya is not writing or doom-scrolling on social media, she can be found playing sudoku, rewatching One Tree Hill or trying new restaurants. She's also a coffee and chocolate (separately) enthusiast.