6 Years Later, These SI Swimsuit Models Remain Cover Girl Goals

These three models delivered photo shoots we’re still thinking about today.

Camille Kostek was photographed by Josie Clough on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Swimsuit by SOMMER SWIM. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

2019 was an unforgettable year for SI Swimsuit. Not only did the magazine welcome rookies such as Camille Kostek and Jasmine Sanders, who would go on to achieve “Legend” status for the 60th anniversary last year, but Tyra Banks also came out of retirement for a front-page spot.

Kostek made history as the first Swim Search winner to land on the cover, and soccer star Alex Morgan also received front-page honors in her third year with the brand.

Overall, it was a fantastic year, and we’re still thinking about the cover girls’ photo shoots six years later. Take a look back at the archives with us as we commemorate these fabulous and talented ladies.

Tyra Banks

Tyra Banks was photographed by Laretta Houston in Great Exuma, Bahamas. Swimsuit by Andi Bagus. / Laretta Houston/Sports Illustrated

As mentioned, Banks came out of modeling retirement in 2019 when posing for the front page in Great Exuma, Bahamas. She was photographed by Laretta Houston while modeling bright and bold colors and styles. “I decided to come back to Sports Illustrated because it is the magazine that changed my life,” she shared with BuzzFeed News at the time.

“I was a very known model, high fashion model, but I got on the cover of SI [Swimsuit] and it made me a household name, almost like in 24 hours, back when the whole world was looking at the same thing all at once,” she added.

Tyra Banks was photographed by Laretta Houston in Great Exuma, Bahamas. Swimsuit by Ola Vida. / Laretta Houston/Sports Illustrated

Banks’s return to modeling for the SI Swimsuit issue was especially significant considering her history with the brand, which dates back to her debut in 1993. She also recreated a pink polka dot bikini look she rocked back in 1997, seen above, making her feature all the more sentimental.

The model, TV personality and actress has posed for eight total features in SI Swimsuit, including the 2024 “Legends” shoot.

Camille Kostek

Camille Kostek was photographed by Josie Clough on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Swimsuit by MESHKI. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

Kostek was the co-winner of the inaugural open casting call in 2018 alongside Haley Kalil, and the two models earned a place in the magazine in 2019. Little did the former New England Patriots cheerleader realize, however, that she was actually shooting for the cover when she traveled to South Australia to pose for Josie Clough’s lens.

The content creator and TV host leaned into neutral colors for her cover shoot, showcasing her natural beauty on the beach and in the water on Kangaroo Island.

Camille Kostek was photographed by Josie Clough on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Swimsuit by SOMMER SWIM. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

“[Editor in chief MJ Day] just came in with a big ole poster, and then she flipped it around. I could not understand what I was looking at,” Kostek recalled of the moment she learned she landed a cover spot. “Those big ole Sports Illustrated letters right behind your head. It hits different! And I just melted.”

Kostek has now posed for nine features with SI Swimsuit, including her most recent in Switzerland for the 2025 issue.

Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan was photographed by Ben Watts in St. Lucia. Swimsuit by Pistol Panties / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Marking Morgan’s third appearance in SI Swimsuit in 2019, the now-retired soccer pro landed on the cover and radiated effortless beauty. Using a soccer ball as the perfect accessory on the beach and in the waters of St. Lucia, she posed for Ben Watts in solid colors and unique styles.

And Morgan didn’t have to travel to St. Lucia alone, as her USWNT teammates at the time, Crystal Dunn, Megan Rapinoe and Abby Dahlkemper, were also featured in the magazine that year and shared the shoot location with her.

Alex Morgan was photographed by Ben Watts in St. Lucia. Swimsuit by Beach Bunny. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

“It was so awesome,” Morgan recalled of her cover shoot. “The last two shoots, I was the only soccer player and that was totally fine. [I was] really happy to represent my team and to represent the soccer community, but just to be able to do it with such an empowering group of women that I share such a big life with was just even more amazing.”

See more from the 2019 SI Swimsuit Issue right here.

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