How Abby Dahlkemper’s Athleticism Prepared Her for Her SI Swim Photoshoot

The pro soccer player was included in the 2019 magazine after a stunning feature in St. Lucia.

Cara O’Bleness | Jan 10, 2024

Abby Dahlkemper was photographed by Ben Watts in St. Lucia.

Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Most people know Abby Dahlkemper as a pro soccer player. She’s a defender for the San Diego Wave FC of the NWSL, and is also a member of the USWNT. The California native also has an Olympic bronze medal to her name and a FIFA Women’s World Cup win under her belt.

In 2019, Dahlkemper also added Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model to her already impressive résumé. She traveled to St. Lucia with photographer Ben Watts and several other soccer stars—including Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and Crystal Dunn—for her beachside feature. And while you may think that modeling and professional sports don’t have much in common, Dahlkemper stated that her skill set as an athlete was actually quite relevant while she was on set.

“[The SI Swimsuit team] just made me feel super comfortable and confident in whatever I was trying on and wearing, so I think that that helped the night before. And then I just kind of got in zone in front of the camera on the first day,” she said at the time. “ ... 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 ... As I went along throughout the day, I ended up with a sheer shirt on and I felt comfortable and confident.”

It’s clear that Dahlkemper felt self-assured in the images that resulted from her Caribbean photoshoot. Below, you’ll find a few of our favorites.

Abby Dahlkemper — Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

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Published Jan 10, 2024

CARA O’BLENESS

Cara O’Bleness is a writer and editor on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Prior to joining SI Swimsuit in 2022, she worked as a writer and editor across a number of content verticals, including food, lifestyle, health and wellness, and small business and entrepreneurship. In her free time, O’Bleness loves reading, spending time with her family and making her way through Michigan’s many microbreweries. She is a graduate of Michigan State University’s School of Journalism.