Abby Dahlkemper ‘Got in the Zone’ While on Set of SI Swim Feature in St. Lucia

The pro soccer player showed her strength during the photo shoot.

Abby Dahlkemper was photographed by Ben Watts in St. Lucia / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

When Abby Dahlkemper was asked to pose for the 2019 SI Swimsuit Issue, her initial reaction was one of disbelief. The experience was not a typical one for the U.S. Women’s National Team player. As a professional athlete who plays on television, she was somewhat used to being in front of a camera, however, she wasn’t familiar with the SI Swimsuit set or modeling.

It felt like “such an iconic magazine to be a part of,” she said at the time. “I was just shocked… and honored and I was really excited about the opportunity to have people get to know me off the field and not in soccer clothes.”

So, ahead of the 2019 FIFA World Cup in Paris, she traveled to St. Lucia alongside a few of her USWNT teammates and photographer Ben Watts. There, she displayed her power and beauty on the beaches of the tropical Caribbean country.

Though very different from her day job, she found that the experience of playing pro soccer helped her “[get] in the zone” on set. “As a soccer player and being out in the field, you really have to make adjustments through the game, and I think that’s kind of similar to this shoot and the way that I approached it,” she said of her mentality on the beach. Sure, it wasn’t her typical gig, but she made it a magical experience.

And the resulting photos were worth the adjustments, too. Here are some of our favorites of Dahlkemper from the trip.

Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated