Three-Time SI Swimsuit Model, Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame Ambassador Kate Upton Makes Sizzling Comeback

Kate Upton's fourth appearance on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue

Kate Upton is red hot and back on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit’s 2024 edtion – for the fourth time. 

Sports Illustrated is celebrating its 60th anniversary with seven covers set for publish May 17, and joining Upton is Gayle King, as well as Chrissy Teigen and Hunter McGrady as the magazine’s newest cover models.

“It’s such a huge honor,” Upton told People magazine ahead of the announcement.

“It really speaks to really where fashion is going and the message that [Sports Illustrated Swimsuit’s editor-in-chief] MJ Day wants to put out — women supporting women, showing different body types and having women speak for different things they believe in.”

Although she was born in Michigan, model and actress Kate Upton undoubtedly has Space Coast salt water in her blood.

The pedigree of excellence is another component that’s helped make Kate Upton the undeniable success she has become, including appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated three times.

Her mother, Shelley (née Davis), was a former Texas state tennis champion, her father Jeff Upton, a high school athletics director. In 1999, Upton moved with her family to Melbourne.

Upton attended Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy in 2010, and just one year later appeared on her first cover of Sports Illustrated. Named Rookie of the Year following her first SI cover, Upton would appear on the 2012 and 2013 covers as well.

WATCH: Although she was born in Michigan, model and actress Kate Upton undoubtedly has Space Coast salt water in her blood. Upton attended Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy in 2010, and just one year later appeared on her first cover of Sports Illustrated. Named Rookie of the Year following her first SI cover, Upton would appear on the 2012 and 2013 covers as well.

2016 SPORTS AMBASSADOR AWARD

Three-Time SI Cover Model, Champion Equestrian Competitor

Upton also used the Space Coast when she appeared on the flip-side cover of the 2014 50th anniversary Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, the first time that type of cover was used by that magazine. Part of her shoot took place at Cape Canaveral, capturing her in zero gravity.

It’s not as if Upton just knocked on the door and SI made her the cover model. She set about her desire to work in fashion early on.

As a fearless teenager, she first set off to Miami, the commercial-modeling capital of the world, to embark on her career at just 15 years of age, although she was first discovered at age 12 doing what she loves the most.

Upton attended a casting call in Miami for Elite Model Management in 2008 and was signed by them the same day. She eventually moved to New York City, where her career blossomed to what it has become.

EQUESTRIAN CHAMPION

However, at age 12 Upton was first scouted riding horses, and her equestrian career is as impressive as her acting and modeling careers. As a young equestrian, she showed at the American Paint Horse Association and competed at a national level with her horse Roanie Pony.

Upton won three APHA Reserve World Championships and the 13-and-Under Western Riding, 13-and-Under Horsemanship, and 14–18 Western Riding. She was named the 13-and-Under Reserve All-Around Champion, giving her a total of four reserve championships.

Upton ended up third overall on the APHA youth Top 20. With a second horse, Zipped, she won 14–18 Western Riding and was included in the top five in 14–18 Horsemanship and 14–18 Western Pleasure in 2009.

Upton has modeled clothing for Garage and Dooney & Bourke. She was the 2010–11 face of Guess. She has appeared on the covers of American Vogue, Vogue Italia, British Vogue, CR Fashion Book, Cosmopolitan, French ELLE, GQ, Italian GQ, German GQ, Jalouse, Sunday Times Style, Esquire, The Daily and Muse Magazine.

In 2012, she was ranked the fifth sexiest model by MODELS’s. She ranked No. 3 on the American publication of Ask Men’s Top 99 Women for 2013.

In September 2013, Upton was named Model of the Year at the 10th annual Style Awards at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York.

Upton started dating baseball pitcher Justin Verlander in 2014, and they were engaged in 2016. On November 4, 2017, the couple married  and have a daughter who was born in November 2018.

With now four Sports Illustrated covers to her credit, a successful equestrian career and a modeling and acting career that rivals few others, Upton was the perfect selection to be the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame’s 2016 Sports Ambassador.

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME, call 321-615-8111 or e-mail Contact@SpaceCoastDaily.com.

CLICK HERE to see all the members of the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame.

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