At the current rate of attention, St. Joseph-born super model Kate Upton may well become the most recognized individual to have emerged from the community. She has been selected as the cover model for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition for an unprecedented third time, and her fifth feature in the magazine over all.
Sports Illustrated Producer Kelsey Hendrix says, “Kate Upton is back where she belongs…on the cover of SI Swimsuit!”
She goes on to tell the nation, “It’s true: America’s favorite bombshell, the incomparable Kate Upton will grace the pages of SI Swimsuit once again! The blonde beauty we all know and love was shot by Yu Tsai in beautiful Fiji, marking the fifth time that Kate has landed a spread in the annual Swimsuit issue.”
Kate first started her career with SI Swimsuit half a dozen years ago, back in 2011. At that point she was tabbed as the publication’s “Rookie of the Year.” She then went on to land the cover back-to-back years in 2012 and 2013. At just 22-years-old, she was also named as a member of 22-person SI Swimsuit legends class, which included icons like Heidi Klum, Christie Brinkley, Tyra Banks and Elle Macpherson, to name a few.
Also unprecedented is the three cover variations that will hit news stands as a result of Kate’s third cover appearance.
MJ Day is Editor for the publication and says, “We didn’t start off with the idea of three covers, regardless of who was on the cover,but when Kate was actually shooting, we were trying so many different looks on her and each photo was coming back just as great as the next.”
Producer Hendrix notes that in addition to her Sports Illustrated fame and fortune, the St. Joe native has starred in several motion pictures, most notably in The Other Woman alongside actresses Cameron Diaz and Leslie Mann. Hendrix reports as well that she is slated to appear in the upcoming movie The Layover, “a comedy about two friends who go on an epic road trip together. But let’s be honest—it’s her return to the pages of our magazine that has us most excited!”
In the new SI Swimsuit edition, Kate tells readers, “I was very excited when MJ asked me to be back in the issue, especially when this year’s theme is about every woman of every age and every body type being accepted. It was inspiring to be asked to be a part of that issue. It makes me proud to be asked back.”
Kate’s father, Jeff Upton is the Athletic Director for the Niles Community Schools. He and Kate’s mother, Shelley, still live in St. Joseph.
