In December 1998, Katarina posed nude for Playboy magazine. The issue in which these photos were published was the second ever sold-out issue of the magazine. (The first sold-out issue was the inaugural one including photos of Marilyn Monroe.). PLAYBOY 1998 back issue prices. Mike Tyson interview; Cinema 1998: $1.00: $5.00: $2.46: Dec-98: Nicole, Jacllyn & Erica Dahm triplets; ice skating queen Katarina.
By Susan Dorling | 2020 GuideIt is not surprising why so many actors and models consider it an opportunity to pose for the Playboy magazine. The immense popularity it brings can help flourish even a struggling artist’s career.
While most do it for fame and money, others accept it for a cause and yet some people don’t mind posing nude or partially clothed in this men’s magazine simply because they’re proud of showing off their sculpted bodies.
But it’s not just actors and models that are enthusiastic about gracing the magazine’s front page with their sexy pictures, many attractive female athletes have also appeared on the Playboy magazine, flaunting their perfect figures.
Excited to know which beautiful female athletes posed for the popular Playboy magazine?
Let’s go!
Hottest Athletes Who Posed Naked
(Video)
Female Athletes Who Posed for Playboy
1. Torrie Wilson
The wrestling diva graced Playboy’s cover and became a legend in May 2003. The wrestler’s first shoot with Playboy became a big deal. Not only it gave the fans a chance to see Torrie’s athletic body at its best, but it also gave rise to some of the most controversial storylines in the WWE world. It also spiked a lot of feuds amongst other female wrestlers while Torrie enjoyed the attention she got on her Playboy cover. In March 2004, Torrie has featured on the Playboy cover once again with her no. 1 rival Sable.
2. Ashley Harkleroad
I cannot complete this list without mentioning Ashley Harkleroad, another super hot athlete to pose for Playboy. The beautiful professional tennis player was the first one in her profession to grace the cover of the Playboy Magazine in August 2008. She earned a huge fan following that included most people who would watch her play for her beauty more than the actual game. The player’s highest ranking in her real profession was at number 39, but she sure did a lot better on the cover of the sexy men’s magazine.
3. Amanda Beard
The beautiful and legendary American swimmer Amanda Beard was just 14 years old when she first appeared in the Summer Olympic Games. She went on to three more Olympic events, earning two gold medals, a bronze medal, and four silver medals too. In addition to all these achievements, the athlete also tried her luck in modeling, which turned out to be a successful experience too. She got noticed and was approached to shoot for Playboy magazine in 2007. The sexy swimmer took the opportunity and posed stunning pictures for the pictorial and won millions of hearts.
4. Gabrielle Reese
The stunning sportswoman flaunted a glamorous aura that culminated in an appearance in the Playboy Magazine in 2001. The stunning beach volleyball player was as popular for her professional career as her modeling career. For her charismatic vibe and great looks, Reese appeared on countless sports and glamorous magazines including Shape, Elle, Life, Women’s Sports & Fitness, and Outside. She was also nominated as ‘one of the five most beautiful women in the world’ by Elle that gained her national notoriety. But what really made headlines was her nude pose on the cover of Playboy in 2001.
5. Kiana Tom
Kiana Tom agreed to pose for the Playboy Magazine in May 2002. Being a popular female athlete in the sports world, the recognized star never failed to impress her force and talent in her athletics. But it came as a pleasant surprise when she pulled off the same characteristics in her nude shoot for the men’s magazine. In addition to having a Playboy shoot under her belt, Tom has also appeared in a number of her own workout series, showing off her incredible body at every given chance. No wonder, she eventually took up the opportunity even though she was hesitant at first.
6. Amy Acuff
One of the most popular high-jumpers of America, Amy appeared on Playboy’s cover in September 2004 issue. She signed up for a while 12-page nude pictorial under the headline “Women of the Olympics”. The athlete has participated in four Summer Olympics as a part of the USA Track & Field team. Her perfectly sculpted body, toned abs, and great looks were already winning fans over. And it just worked like a cherry on top when she agreed to pose nude on the famous men’s magazine. The stunner sizzled the Playboy cover with her intense confidence and absolutely gorgeous looks.
7. Katarina Witt
Katarina Witt gained a lot of popularity for her hard work and dedication and is known as the great figure skaters of all time. Not only she has a fascinating personality, but Witt is also a remarkable athlete. The competitive records she has set in her professional career are truly impressive. She has also bagged two Olympic gold medals, six consecutive European Championships as well as four World Championships. Clearly, this athletic diva needs no introduction. In addition to all her professional achievements, she also managed to become the face of the second ever sold-out issue of Playboy magazine. Her bold pictorial left the entire globe mesmerized.
8. Anita Marks
As a part of the professional football team for five years, Anita Marks set herself apart after she quarterbacked two women’s professional football teams including Miami Fury and Florida Stingrays. She became the choice for September 2002 edition. She further justified her bold move where she explained why it was interesting for her to jump on the bandwagon to pose for the sexy magazine. She claimed that sportswomen too can look sensual, attractive, and still play sports. The beautiful e female athlete, however, didn’t go all nude. She kept it partial and graced the front cover in a stunning look.
9. Mia St. John
Talk about the hottest women in boxing and Mia Rosales St. John is definitely going to be in the top list. She has great career achievements under her belt, which is pretty impressive even though she took off pretty late. Mia won the International Females Boxers Association Lightweight World Title as well as the IBA Continental Lightweight Title in 2005. When she turned 40, she even bagged the trophy for the WBC International Female Welterweight Championship. Her career became all the more interesting when the boxing diva’s eleven-page sexy pictorial was released in Playboy in November 1999.
10. Maria Butyrskaya
Maria Butyrskaya’s is known for her incredible performances, which are the result of sheer hard work and intensive training. Her figure skating career skyrocketed after the Russian professional skater won World Championship in 1999, and also bagged three European Championships and six Russian National Figure Skating Championships. Her achievements also include her fourth position in the Winter Olympics of 1998 and her sixth position in the Winter Olympics in 2002.
The stunning athlete maintained great fitness to up her game, which also led her to appear on the Playboy Magazine in November 1998. The stunner graced the cover and earned more fans around the world.
11. Romy Tarangul
Romy Tarangul earned a great position and respect in the International Judo. Her dedication as a sportswoman didn’t only gain her a huge fan-following but also gave her a chance to grace the Playboy magazine with her stunning looks and great body. As far as her career is concerned, she started off with Olympic in Beijing 2008 and bagged a silver medal in European Championships in 2008. Also, she won the Judo World Cup held in Bulgaria in 2008.
The gorgeous German Olympian got many chances to perform and outdo her competition on international platforms. This got her into the limelight, which secured her a place in the Playboy Magazine. The athlete looked stunning not only on the cover but the entire pictorial in the magazine.
12. Nicole Reinhardt
Unfortunately, canoeing does not enjoy enough popularity as a sport as it should. But despite having a limited fan-following, Nicole Reinhardt became famous, thanks to her appearance on the men’s famous Playboy magazine. The German sprint canoer became a regular in winning most competitions and coming out in the first place whenever she participated in international competition.
She is one of the athletes who haven’t won one or two but eight World Championship gold and silver medals. Reinhardt outperformed her competition and took not only her sport’s fame back to her homeland but also all the fans that she gained after posing sexy for the Playboy Magazine.
13. Petra Niemann
Petra Niemann is a German former yacht racer who competed in the Summer Olympics 2000, 2004, and 2008. The famous German sailor brought home a Silver medal at the Sailing World Championship in 2006. Moreover, she earned many other titles and won national championships in three Olympic Games. For the Playboy Magazine, she posed alongside other German Olympic athletes including Romy Tarangul, Nicole Reinhardt, and Katharina Scholz.
14. Mary Sauer
Talk about the history of American track and field and the name of Mary Sauer would definitely appear on the list. However, she wasn’t the most recognizable until she became the third American woman to break the 15-foot barrier in a pole vault competition back in 2001. Unfortunately, despite her hard work and dedication, she lost at the trials for qualifying for the 2000 Olympics. And while couldn’t secure a spot in the Olympics, she did won the hearts of the American public with her beauty and fitness by posing for Playboy Magazine in 2004.
15. Haley Cope
Let’s get down to the hottest swimmers who made it to the Playboy cover. Unlike Sauer, Cope made it to the Olympics in 2004 and won the silver medal in the 4m x 100, medley relay. The stylish athlete always had that stunning aura about her that was hard to ignore. That’s why we believe that Haley Cope had much more to be proud of than just her silver Olympic medal – her sexy physique. The beautiful athlete was approached to grace the cover photo and complete the sexy pictorial of the Playboy.
16. Katie Vermeulen
Not only was she a part of a nude photoshoot by posing for Playboy in 2004 herself, but she is also someone who defends athletes for taking part in nude photoshoots. On top of that, she is also a respected professional athlete. With Katie, being a part of a reputed sexy magazine for men wasn’t about showing off boobs and butts. It was more about displaying the strength and beauty of women at the same time.
For her, athletes doing nude magazine covers is about courage and strength in sports while also using it as an expression of who they are. The sad part, however, is that even though she boldly became the face of Playboy in 2004, she couldn’t make it to the summer Olympic Games that year.
17. Maria Kanellis
It’s hard to forget that Maria Kanellis was one of the most famous and sexy wrestling divas who got her fair chance on the cover of Playboy Magazine. But there are a lot of other achievements she’s known for. Being ranked as one of the top fifty female wrestlers in 2008 by Pro Wrestling Illustrated, Kanellis is a TNA Knockout Champion and also holds the Slammy Award for Diva of the Year in 2009. And if you thought that was it, Maria Kanellis also has a strong resume related to television and film appearances. All in all, the sexy wrestling diva made a mark when she appeared on the Playboy Magazine in April 2009 and sold a lot of copies.
18. Sable
Sable – a name in the wrestling world that needs no introduction. Sable got a chance to become Hef’s girl for his Playboy cover in April 1999. The WWE Women’s Champion and a two-time Slammy Award Winner, Sable has been one of the most stunning, fit, sexy, and fun to watch wrestlers of all times.
The blonde bombshell bagged more than just belts and awards and was one of the first WWE divas to get an opportunity to pose for Playboy. The venture went well not only for Sable’s career but also proved to be one of the highest-selling Playboy issues of all time. Sable did not only appear once on the cover but thrice and twice in the same year. Hats off to this diva!
19. Rebekka Armstrong
Most men envy Hefner not only for his beautiful girlfriends but also for how he gets to interact with some of the most beautiful and sexiest women who pose his magazine. But what we fail to bring forward is some great character traits this guy has. The best example is financially supporting Rebekka Armstrong, the former bodybuilder, for her AIDS-awareness campaign.
The gorgeous bodybuilder not only flaunted her own sculpted body on the magazine’s cover in the September 1986 issue but also seek assistance from Hef to support her in promoting awareness about AIDS as she herself was diagnosed with the illness years later her photoshoot.
20. Rena Marlette Lesnar
The gorgeous and well-sculpted wrestler, Rena Marlette Lesnar, start off her WWW (World Wide Wrestling) career alongside Sable in 1996. The diva started her career as a valet but soon started making appearances in the ring and later started performing too. She gained immense popularity after defeating Jacqueline in the WWE Women’s Championship and won the belt. Later she posed for the most sought after men’s magazine Playboy and graced the cover with her sexy picture.
In addition to winning the hearts of millions of people, she also caught the eye of one of the biggest wrestling stars, Brock Lesner, and became his better-half.
21. Pasha Grishuk
The talented ice dancer from Russia needs no introduction. The hardworking and absolutely stunning Pasha Grishuk became took the stage by thunder and became Olympic Gold medalist twice in 1994 and 1998 respectively. Not only that, but she was also able to secure the World Championship four times and European Championship thrice with her partner Evgeni Platov.
The fame got her the limelight she needed for tabloids and magazines to approach her. The stunner didn’t hesitate to bare it all for the Playboy magazine and only posed in her ice-skates and her nude glass-like skin. Fans still remember the stunning poses of this feminine beauty.
22. Joanie Laurer
Even though she has millions of fans around the world, very few people know who Joanie Laurer is. That’s because she’s more famous with her stage name ‘Chyna’. Also referred to as the Ninth Wonder of the World by WWE, Chyna was excellent at her professional career. Her spirit was unbreakable and so was her strength. She wasn’t only willing to take on women in the ring but also men who were double her size. She had this courageous and fearless stance since day one.
Perhaps, that’s what got her a place on the Playboy magazine as well. She became the face of the magazine not once but twice in the years 2000 and 2002 respectively. And while she had this heavy built and bold figure, she graced the cover of the magazine in the most feminine and sexy poses.
23. Ineta Radevica
Another gorgeous athlete who’s known for both her talent and beauty! Ineta is a Latvian long jumper who won many hearts not only for her sport but also her killer looks. And even though she failed to bag any big achievements or medals at the Olympics, the popularity she gained was huge. And there’s a reason why she had all that limelight. It was because before she appeared in the Olympics 2004, she posed for the issue of Playboy. The stunner instantly caught the eye and had all her crazy fans rooting for her win. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out for her.
24. Ashley Massaro
Who can forget the successful match between Playboy and WWE called the ‘Bunnymania’ Lumberjill match. The highly successful event had some of the most stunning WWE divas teaming up with other athletes to fight against the opponents. Ashley Massaro was the last-minute choice to team up with Marie to fight against the duo of Melina and Beth Phoenix. And while the Ashley Massaro team lost, it was one hell of a match and a great event for all Playboy lovers! Massaro retired in 2008 but fans still want to see her back not only in the ring but also on the cover of Playboy.
25. LaTasha Marzolla
Before she was even an athlete, LaTasha Marzolla was a successful model and already a Playboy Vixen. Later, she went on and became a professional MMA fighter. The model-turned-athlete went through this amazing career switch and a great transformation that didn’t compromise on her fighting capabilities or her strength. The stunning fighter graced the magazine’s cover for the first time in 20002 as Playboy’s Voluptuois Vixens. She promoted the sexy example of a healthy body image and appeared several times on the magazines. From starting off as a model to becoming a kick-ass boxer, LaTasha proved how women can go places with their talent and beauty.
26. Christy Hemme
Another WWE star got the chance of becoming of Hef’s girl for his magazine. WWE divas were a popular choice for the magazine and it wasn’t any different for the super stunning Christy Hemme. The professional wrestler took the Playboy cover by storm and appeared on the front cover in 2005. Christy has made many transitions to different wrestling contracts since then. But her appearance on the magazine really made a mark for her in her professional wrestling career.
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