It’s no secret that the field of professional sports boasts some of the most prolific competitors from around the world. Some of these athletes are also considered some of the most beautiful in the world. From world champions through to gold medalists, the ladies on our list today have gone above and beyond just being the best at what they do, banking prolific modeling deals and multi-million dollar endorsements outside of work along the way too.
These Gorgeous Female Athletes Are Winning At Work And At Home
Golf: Paige Spiranac
Paige Spiranac first turned pro back in 2015 after two stints of college-level golf. While some argue that she was better suited to the college level competition, after two seasons of professional golf she had solidified her marketability in the sport, having amassed a large legion of fans who were keeping an eye on her every move online. This led to further opportunities off the course, which the blonde bombshell has grabbed with two hands.
Paige Spiranac
Off The Course
Perhaps realising that golf might not be a long-term career prospect (similarly to her husband, who used to play minor league baseball), she decided that her newly found clout could offer her some work opportunities. It wasn’t so long before she was gracing the covers of sports magazines, leading to her Instagram following skyrocketing to the millions. Nowadays, she is one of the most recognizable faces and personal brands of women’s golf.
Off The Course
Hockey: Ellen Hoog
While not many people know all too much about field hockey around the world, Dutch fans will be familiar with this national gem. Ellen Hoog is a household name in the region as a result of her double gold medal win at the Olympics, as well as collecting numerous other European championships along the way. It’s safe to say that this athletic beauty knows her way around a hockey field! Her thousands of fans around the world will vouch for this.
Ellen Hoog
Off The Field
Away from the sport, Ellen married Kelvin de Lang in 2017, after years of dating. She spends a lot of her spare time modeling, which has become a lucrative venture for her, and her net worth is now estimated to be around three million dollars. This Dutch beauty is clearly a winner at work and at home, serving as an inspiration to a younger generation of athletes who aspire to reach great heights in their careers too.
Off The Field
Basketball: Skylar Diggins
Skylar Diggins needs no introduction. This beautiful basketball star is a four-time WNBA all-star that not only advocates for the betterment of women’s sport as a whole, but also wants to encourage women all over the world to go after their dreams. In 2019, she sat out an entire season due to maternity leave, but not before sending a strong message that it’s possible to be a star athlete and a mom, which has been frowned upon in other sports.
Skylar Diggins
Off The Court
Aside from being a new parent, Skylar also has a happy marriage to former football player Daniel Smith. Her work not only extends to the basketball court, and in 2013 she signed a deal with music mogul and global superstar Jay-Z’s ‘Roc Nation Sports’ agency. This helped her land some modeling gigs, which later turned into magazine covers on prominent national and international publications. The future is so bright for this talented and beautiful woman.
Off The Court
Volleyball: Jaqueline Carvalho
This Brazilian babe was pretty much raised on the beach volleyball court. While the sport doesn’t have a massive international following, Jacqueline entered the world stage after the Brazilian team won repeated gold medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. After a successful career, she retired from the sport in 2018, but still plays volleyball in lower leagues from time to time, because she loves the sport so much. Few others have shown this type of love and commitment.
Jaqueline Carvalho
Off The Court
As it turns out, her volleyball career would not only earn her a pretty paycheck, but it would also lead her to her husband-to-be. In 2009, Jacqueline married fellow Brazilian volleyball star Murilo Endres, and a couple of years later, the pair welcomed their first childbirth, Arthur. This little family turns heads wherever they go, and have an interesting story to share with others about where it all began.
Off The Court Jaqueline
Soccer: Lauren Sesselmann
Lauren Sesselmann is a Wisconsin native that first got a taste of professional soccer when she played on the team at Purdue University. Attempts to get into the American team for the Olympics were thwarted due to the strong competition, so Lauren decided to try for the Canadian national team (possible as her father was born there). Low and behold, she took home a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics, and her name is now in the history books forever.
Lauren Sesselmann
Off The Field
Although she no longer plays professional soccer, that doesn’t mean that her lifelong ambitions have dwindled. These days, Lauren can be heard on a podcast (‘The Sess Show’), seen doing motivational talks around the country, or even be hired as a fitness trainer. It seems that her drive for success didn’t go away when she hung up her soccer boots, and as a result her marketability has skyrocketed online too.
Off The Field Lauren
Golf: Blair O’Neal
As with a lot of beautiful LPGA golfers, the sport often acts as a gateway for further career opportunities. For Blair O’Neal, her stint in golf might have been very short, but the exposure gave her a host of endorsement opportunities. Blair first garnered national attention on the Golf Channel’s “The Big Break” tournament, and a TV career awaited her not long after fans first laid eyes on her then.
Blair ONeal
Off The Course
It’s been over five years since Blair has played professional golf, and these days she’s best found as a reporter for the Golf Channel. While some of her segments lean a little more towards the risque side, she doesn’t have a lack of admirers, and her social profiles have really taken off. Now married to Jeff Keiser, he is also focused on a role that no amount of athletic training will prepare you for: being a mom.
Off The Course Blair
Tennis: Caroline Wozniacki
Danish tennis player Caroline Wozniacki was a bankable player for sponsors of the WTA tennis tour over the span of her career. Not only that, but her performances earned her a whopping $35 million, making her one of the top 5 all-time on court earners in the women’s sport. In January of 2020, right before the coronavirus pandemic locked the world down, she announced that she would be retiring at the age of 29. Talk about perfect timing!
Caroline Wozniacki
Off The Court
Caroline has said she would like to focus on some of her off-court pursuits, which include modeling and dabbling in the music industry too. Her social media following has been amplified by being romantically linked to some notable fellow celebs, including a failed engagement to golf professional Rory McIlroy, but as of right now she is married to retired NBA player David Lee. Her Instagram shows regular updates of her life after tennis, and it looks like she’s happier than ever.
Off The Court Caroline
Surfing: Sage Erickson
Sage has a beautiful name, that goes very well with her beautiful smile. The Hawaii native got to spend a lot of time on the beach when she was growing up, which gave her ample opportunities to test out the water and see if surfing was for her. Today, for sure she is one of the top female surfers in the entire world, winning multiple US Open surfing championships in recent years to solidify her standing.
Sage Erickson
Out of the Waves
When she’s not in the water, Sage likes to try her chops at acting, and in 2002 she got a supporting role alongside Kate Bosworth and Michelle Rodriguez in the hit movie Blue Crush. Other than that, she can also be seen on TV regularly, making appearances promoting the sport, as well as some of her personal endeavors too. We’ll be keeping a lookout to see if she makes any more appearances on the silver screen (or others) in the coming years.
Out Of The Waves
Pole Vaulting: Allison Stokke
Allison Stokke has one of the most unique stories in the world, rising to fame after a picture of her younger self at a pole vault competition went viral. As a result of her age at the time of the picture, a lot of controversies ensued, but once the dust settled, she managed to have a competitive athletic career at the University of Berkeley and beyond. It’s safe to say she was well set up for success with opportunities like these.
Allison Stokke
Off The Track
As can be imagined, Allison earned multiple endorsement deals during her overall career, including inking agreements with Athleta, Nike and a couple of others. These days she has settled down to a quieter life than she was used to previously, now married to professional golfer Rickie Fowler and focusing on her endeavors outside of the athletic arena. Some fans have started to wonder if becoming a mother would perhaps soon be on the agenda for this beauty.
Off The Track
Tennis: Maria Sharapova
An iconic tennis player that first rose to fame at the age of 16, Maria Sharapova would eventually become a five-time singles champion, and a world number one. Over the span of her successful tennis career, she not only propelled herself to stardom by winning 36 titles, but also managed to raise the sport of women’s tennis to new heights, bringing a lot of extra eyeballs to the spectator stands whenever she hit the court.
Maria Sharapova
Off The Court
Maria has been one of the most popular athletes around the world for some time, but aside from this, she has also focused on starting her own candy line, studying short courses at Harvard University, and most recently appeared as a guest judge on Shark Tank. The Russian beauty might not be playing professional tennis anymore, but she will surely remain one of the most recognizable faces of women’s tennis for years to come.
Off The Court Maria
Gymnastics: Aly Raisman
Aly Raisman has got to be one of the most talented gymnasts in recent history. Taking home the double gold across the London and Rio Olympics, this was a feat achieved only for the second time ever by an American national. Did we mention that she’s already won six medals in her career? No wonder the sponsors came knocking, and she is one of the most famous gymnasts in the world as a result.
Aly Raisman
Out of the Arena
Outside of gymnastics, Aly has been a prominent public figure, but not always for reasons you might think. She is notably visible as one of the brave women who spoke out against the abuse of US gymnastics physician Larry Nassar. Aside from this, she has even appeared on reality TV, and made a cameo in the Charlie’s Angels reboot a few years ago, which some critics noticed as one of the highlights of the film.
Out Of The Arena
Soccer: Alex Morgan
To be great at any sport takes a lot of discipline and motivation, and Alex Morgan has both. Not only that, but she looks great while doing it too. Part of the U.S national team for over ten years, her goal tally is in the hundreds, showing just what a talented player she is. When she’s not playing for her country, she’s enjoying playing at lower divisions too, as she simply has a love for the sport and feels at her best when she is out there competing.
Alex Morgan
Off The Pitch
Alex is a devoted wife, having married fellow soccer star Servando Carrasco. She recently had the pleasure of welcoming their first baby to the world, and it’s safe to say that she is a doting parent. She also isn’t shy about growing her social media count, and during her pregnancy, she was most notably for viral videos that showed her staying active even while sporting a belly the size of an exercise ball.
Off The Pitch
Surfing: Whitney Miller
Unlike many of the other people on our list, Whitney Miller is not someone who can be boxed into a specific sport. She ran track and played soccer as a youngster, before turning to surf as her professional calling. It’s clear this beauty has a variety of interests, as she also competes in MMA fighting and jiu-jitsu when her schedule allows. She also models for CrossFit and has a couple of lucrative endorsement deals behind her name.
Whitney Miller
Away From Athlete Life
You never would have guessed that this fierce competitor was awarded the title of Miss Texas back in 2012. This gave her a lot of attention in the state, and helped her to start nurturing an online following for her sporting endeavours. Away from athletics, she is a trained counselor, offering couples coaching to pairs who need to add a bit of extra juice to their relationship. Talk about versatility!
Away From Athlete Life
Surfing: Anastasia Ashley
Anastasia has pretty much been surfing her entire life, and you could say she was born for it, as she won her first competition when she was just six years old. The only way was up from there, and after landing sponsorship deals as a child, she started competing in competitions all over the world, taking home multiple prizes and making her friends and family proud of her achievements along the way.
Anastasia Ashley
Out of the Water
Does this beauty have time for activities aside from surfing? She sure likes to make sure her calendar has gaps for her other passions. When she’s not chasing waves, she’s also graced the cover of popular sports magazines, and started her own jewelry line. Better yet, activism is one of her main priorities. A proud vegan, she is an avid supporter of PETA, taking part in a campaign for them back in 2006 to show her loyalty to the cause.
Out Of The Water
Tennis: Camila Giorgi
While not being the most recognizable player on the tennis circuit, Italy’s Camilla Giorgi has still had a great career in the sport, earning over $4 million along the way. Entering the Top 30 in the world in 2018, she even reached the last eight stage of Wimbledon, which helped propel her to greater notoriety in her home country. Today, she is still competing on the tour, although she is seemingly close to retirement.
Camila Giorgi
Off The Court
Back home in Italy, Camilla spends time with her fashion designer mother, who is often cited as the designer for the dresses she wears while she is out on the court. Her father was born in Argentina, and coaches her during the on and off-season. Sports must run in the family somewhat, as her brother plays professional soccer, albeit in the lower leagues in Italy. Still a talented family nevertheless!
Off The Court Camila
Ski Racer: Lindsey Vonn
While Lindsey Vonn has achieved a lot on the ski slopes in her career, as with any athletes, there have been highs and lows to comprehend with. In 2014 an injury put her out of the winter Olympics, where she was expected to add to her already large tally of Olympic medals accumulated across her career. The time off allowed her to reflect about what she really wanted to do when she hung up her skis for good.
Lindsey Vonn
Away From The Alps
After a long career, Lindsey banked more world cup skiing titles than anybody else in the history of the world. This gave her a fair share of notoriety, although paling in comparison to the exposure she received when she was dating Tiger Woods. These days she is settling down with hockey star P.K Subban, and life is slightly less hectic than it was back when she was still a professional athlete.
Away From The Alps
Ice Hockey: Hilary Knight
Hilary Knight is well known, having won multiple national ice hockey championships while she was at University. This paved the way for a future in the sport that would be very personally rewarding and financially lucrative for her. That said, she was chosen for the U.S Olympic team three times in a row, winning gold and two silvers as a part of one of the best ice hockey teams in the world at the time.
Hilary Knight
Off The Ice
Although she was raised in a suburban household in Chicago, that didn’t mean that life was quiet and reserved. Hilary was surrounded by a family of skiers, and even has a cousin that also competed at the Olympics three times. While her destiny was ice hockey and not skiing, it’s easy to see that the early years of hitting the ice with family paid off in a big way at the end of the day.
Off The Ice
Soccer: Julie Ertz
More commonly known as Julie Johnston, this now-married soccer star won the female soccer player of the year award in the U.S twice in her career. She plays professionally for the Chicago Red Stars these days, and has represented her country numerous times over the course of recent history. Her long blonde locks and ruthless energy on the pitch turned a lot of heads and gave the sport a collection of new fans too.
Julie Ertz
Off The Pitch
Julie lives with her husband Zach Ertz, who has a history of playing professional football himself. The pair likely bonded over the fact that they’ve both played some high-pressure matches in their lives, and Zach can vouch for this because of his crucial role in the Eagles winning the Superbowl back in 2017. Talk about a pair of athletes that are a force to be reckoned with. Just imagine how talented their future children might be.
Off The Pitch
Hurdle Runner: Michelle Jenneke
Hurdler Michelle Jenneke gained notoriety in 2012 when a viral video of her warm-up dance hit social media and people hit the share button in relentless fashion. Her warm smile instantly attracted people and while she was never quite at the top of her field (notaly, she placed 37th at the Olympics in Rio in 2016), she still did a lot to bring new viewers to athletics around the world.
Michelle Jenneke
Off The Track
Because of the fact that she wasn’t a top-performing athlete, Michelle has also been known for taking on modeling jobs, and has posed for the cover of Sports Illustrated too. These days she owns her own app for guided stretching, which is a useful tool helping young athletes to warm up correctly before they hit the track or field. Michelle is the perfect example of using what you have, and making more with it.
Off The Track Michelle
Soccer: Shelina Zadorsky
Shelina Zadorsky bounced around quite a bit early on in her soccer career, playing professionally for Australia, Sweden and ultimately the United States. Her part in the American team saw her compete in the 2016 Olympics as well as the 2019 World Cup. Still in the prime of her career, Shelina is showing no signs of slowing down, and continues to be an inspiration to people all over the world.
Shelina Zadorsky
Off The Field
Away from the sport, Ellen married Kelvin de Lang in 2017, after years of dating. She spends some of her spare time modeling, which has become a lucrative venture for her, the net worth is estimated around 3 million dollars. This Dutch beauty is clearly a winner at work and at home, serving as an inspiration to a younger generation of athletes who aspire to reach great heights in their careers too.
Off The Field Shelina
Runner: Emma Coburn
Commonly referred to as one of the best runners in history, the sad reality is that few people are aware of Emma Coburn and her massive success. Why is this the case, you ask? Steeplechase events get very little press, and this is where she excels the most. In 2016, she was the first American woman to win a medal in the event since the competition started, making her an iconic athlete almost instantly.
Emma Coburn
Away From The Track
When she’s not training, Emma likes to divide her time between time spent with loved ones, and philanthropic efforts that are dear to her heart. This includes organizing charity events in her native Colorado, as well as being an avid supporter of the breast cancer support movement. Married since 2017, this athlete continues to “run around” as a shining example to the people around her, as well as to her fans online.
Away From The Track
Basketball: Elena Delle Donne
Elena Delle Donne is a well-respected MVP and six-time all-star winner, so if you haven’t heard of her yet, where have you been hiding? A WNBA Championship under her belt as of the 2019 season, it’s not altogether uncommon for insiders to refer to her as one of the best players of the season on the regular. Did we mention that this Basketball champion looks great while competing too?
Elena Delle Donne
Off The Court
Elena hasn’t made sports her only focus, and proudly completed a university degree at the University of Delaware to give herself more options once she retires from the game. When she’s at home, she’s taking care of her sister Lizzie, who has special needs. She also balances this with being a wife to partner Amanda Clifton. We should be shouting our praises from the rooftops for this Wonder Woman and everything she has achieved.
Off The Court Elena
Basketball: Candace Parker
Our list has a lot of talented, attractive basketball players, and Candace Parker is not one to be excluded from the list. On the contrary, she has been dominant in all levels of the sport she has played in, and is recognizable for her slam dunk in the NCAA tournament match that will forever go down in history. Let’s not forget that she is a championship winner, as well as a two-time MVP as well.
Candace Parker
Away From Shooting Hoops
Candace often appears on CBS to help cover the NBA and is a respected analyst considering her years of experience in the sport, which helps to keep her connected to her roots in a way. In 2008 she married fellow basketball player Shelden Williams, and the pair welcomed a daughter shortly after. In 2016 they divorced, and these days she keeps a lower profile than she used to at the height of her fame.
Away From Shooting Hoops
Professional Fighter: Brooke Mayo
Who says a professional fighter can’t be beautiful while landing a few punches and kicks? Not us! Brooke Mayo proves this theory, and this flyweight champion not only turns heads wherever she competes but is a respected athlete in the MMA circuit in the California area. While she has only competed professionally twice, the experience did give her a lot of exposure, and helped to raise her online profile in a big way too.
Brooke Mayo
Out of the Ring
Away from the ring Brooke is married to fellow MM fighter Nick Pica. Few people know that she also works as a flight attendant from time to time, mostly because it is an area that she is also passionate about, and she loves being in the sky. Avoid a chokehold the next time you ask for a glass of water on a flight by always doing so politely, especially if the attendant looks a lot like Brooke.
Out Of The Ring
MMA Fighter: Ronda Rousey
MMA icon Ronda Rousey is more than just a great fighter and entertainer. Few people know that she is actually an Olympic medalist in judo, taking home the bronze in Beijing back in 2008. It was this that helped to grow her profile, which eventually caught the attention of MMA execs, and today she is still referred to as the most prominent and popular fighter the industry has ever seen as a result.
Ronda Rousey
Outside The Ring
Although she doesn’t take part in MME fights anymore, Ronda now earns her keep with another type of fighting: WWE. Although these battles are fixed and more for entertainment value than she would have been used to, her fanbase continues to grow. This Pokemon fan (we’re not kidding) probably learned a lot from watching trainer battles when she was younger, helping her to gain an edge over her opponents every time.
Outside The Ring
Soccer: Sidney Leroux Dwyer
Canadian native Sydney Leroux-Dwyer might have been born adjacent to the U.S, but that didn’t stop her from playing professional soccer for America at the height of her career. In fact, she made her professional debut as a teenager, and her goal-scoring abilities catapulted her to an Olympic gold medal and a World Cup win as part of team USA. Now that’s the kind of resume that’s worth writing home about.
Leroux Dwyer
Off The Pitch
Sydney is striking both on and off the pitch, and has been the focus of many marketing campaigns promoting her skills and talents alongside women’s soccer as a whole. She married a British born soccer player in 2015, which allowed her to obtain U.S citizenship, and eventually this allowed her to start playing for the American team. Not the average way to go about your career, but who’s keeping score?
Off The Pitch Sidney
Surfer: Sally Fitzgibbons
Sally Fitzgibbons and the sport of surfing go hand-in-hand. A prominent winner of the Australian national championships as a junior, from early on in her career it was clear that she would be an internationally recognized athlete for the sport. Now a living legend in the surfing scene, she has reached the #1 world ranking in her career, solidifying her name in the history books and becoming one of the most recognizable faces of the sport in the process.
Sally Fitzgibbons
Beyond The Waves
This blonde bombshell is much loved in her native Australia. The country voted her the most trusted sportswoman in the world in 2014, which is an ode to how much respect the general public has for her abilities. When she’s not surfing, she is coaching others about how to live well, and take care of their bodies. According to her, paying it forward has always been the way to go, especially if you have so much to be thankful for in your life. Way to go, Sally!
Beyond The Waves
Golf: Natalie Gulbis
Natalie Gulbis is no “one hit wonder” in the LPGA. This renowned golfer has four tour wins under her belt, alongside a handful of top 5 finishes at the majors. It’s safe to say that she has the skills to back up her good looks, which have earned her favor with fans from all over the world, and brought new attention to a sport that is often sidelined next to its male counterpart in terms of visibility and lucrativity.
Natalie Gulbis
Away From The Green
Natalie is more than just her golf clubs, however. She hosts her own show on the Golf Channel, has taken part in Celebrity Apprentice and enjoys making the most of her social media following online. This has led to some endorsement deals and paid campaigns that have generated her a pretty penny over the years. She still plays golf professionally, but is no longer in the Top 1000 people in the world.
Away From The Green
Racing Driver: Danica Patrick
Breaking down the barriers when it comes to female visibility in a male-dominated sport can be hard. Danica Patrick dropped out of high school and moved to England to make sure she gave herself the best possible chance to do so! Over the span of her career, she has been successful on tracks all over the world, and in the Indy racing scene she took the unimaginable leap to NASCAR and the big time when few people believed it would be possible for her to do so.
Danica Patrick
Off The Racetrack
Danica has always been a smart businesswoman, ensuring that her career earnings were matched by what she was bringing home away from the racetrack. She’s done commentary, acted as a spokesperson for GoDaddy.com, as well as signed deals to market a variety of products to her audience. She’s also made time for some love in her life. Most recently, she is known to be dating Aaron Rodger, quarterback of the Green Bay Packers.
Off The Racetrack
Surfing: Alessa Quizon
There’s no shortage of surfers on our list, and Alessa Quizon rounds up a group of prominent surfers who have done it all and brought great success to their personal and professional lives. This Hawaiian native rode her first wave when she had barely learned to walk, and has been ranked inside the Top 100 surfers in the entire world in her career. She’s very proud about her surfing heritage, and likes to dial it up whenever she does any kind of interview.
Alessa Quizon
Beyond The Barrel
These days, Alessa is still living the surfing dream, enjoying traveling to various locations to test the waters and see if she can keep improving her craft. She has been romantically linked to multiple notable celebrities, raising her online profile quite substantially, and most recently she has been hanging out with UFC fighter Max Holloway. Finding a good balance between your work and personal life is key, and it seems Alessa (and the other ladies on our list) is doing just that, and more.
Beyond The Barrel