With the 2018 Winter Olympics coming to a close, I’m sure many of us are left wondering how so many of our highest-achieving athletes can also be graced with such good looks. We haven’t yet come up with the formula for Olympian success, but we did come up with a list of the 15 hottest female American athletes for you to swoon over.
Allison Stokke
Cleverst Track and field athlete Allison Stokke got her start during school, breaking a number of American records for high school pole vaulting. She quickly became an internet sensation in 2007 when images of her surfaced under the heading “Pole Vaulting Is Sexy, Barely Legal.” Though she continued to pole vault during college, she failed to make it onto the 2012 United States Olympic Team.
Lindsey Vonn
People.com American World Cup alpine skiier Lindsey Vonn is one of 6 women to have won World Cup medals in all six disciplines of skiing. Her 81 total victories are an all-time record in the World Cup championship, yet despite various injuries throughout the years Vonn is still considered to be the most successful American ski racer in history.
Alex Morgan
Sports Illustrated Olympic gold medalist Alex Morgan made her professional soccer debut in 2011 when she was drafted number one overall in the 2011 WPS Draft by the Western New York Flash. Currently, she plays forward for Orlando Pride in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States women’s national soccer team.
Miesha Tate
MMA Junkie Primarily known for her grappling ability, mixed-martial arts competitor Miesha Tate began her professional career in 2007, going on to later win the 2009 bantamweight championship of the Freestyle Cage fighting promotion. After a loss by decision in November 2016, Tate announced her retirement. She can now be found fighting in no-gi grappling matches against former MMA opponents.
Amanda Beard
Caring Online A former world-record holder in the 200-meter breaststroke, American swimmer Amanda Beard’s success has earned her a whopping seven medals spanning four Olympic games. Her modeling work has included appearances in FHM and Playboy Magazine, as well as 2008’s controversial anti-fur campaign for the organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
Danica Patrick
ABC Danica Patrick’s victory in the 2008 Indy Japan 300 propelled her to fame as the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel racing. As the only female to win in an IndyCar Series race, Patrick is considered a pioneer for women in motorsports. Racing aside, Patrick has also appeared in advertising campaigns for Secret, Chevrolet, and Coca-Cola.
Paige Vanzant
MMA Fighting With a background in dancing, its no surprise Paige Vanzant found her way to the field of martial arts. She is currently signed to the flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighters Championship (UFC). Vanzant also competed in season 22 of Dancing With The Stars, finishing in second place with partner Mark Ballas.
Natalie Coughlin
Swim Swam The first woman ever to swim the Olympic backstroke in less than one minute, American competition swimmer Natalie Coughlin then went on to win 12 Olympic medals in her career. Aside from her gold-medal career, Coughlin recently joined the World Food Program USA as a Zero Hunger Ambassador in the fight against global hunger.
Brittany Viola
Flair Miami Two-time NCAA champion Britanny Viola comes from a background of athletic ability - her father is former Minnesota Twin pitcher and World Series MVP. After narrowly missing a spot on the Olympic diving team in 2004, Viola dove her way to the top in 2012, beating her opponent by a whopping 60 points.
Hope Solo
LA Times Regarded as one of the top female goalkeepers in the world, Hope Solo is certainly more than just looks. Solo led her team to a victory during the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and went on to win gold at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Following her performance at the World Cup, Solo showed off her dancing skills on Dancing With The Stars.
Lokelani McMichael
Wikifeet Born in Kailua Kona, Hawaii, Lokelani McMichael beat out over 48,000 people in 1995 to become eligible for one of the 2,000 spots in the Hawaii Ironman. She later became the youngest woman ever to finish the Ironman, winning her a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Michelle Waterson
MMA Fighting Michelle Waterson rose to fame as a contestant on the Muay Thai-themed Fight Girls reality show, and later went on to appear as a fighter in the MTV reality show Bully Beatdown.She holds a black belt in American Free Style Karate, currently ranked #23 by Fight Matrix as world’s top women’s strawweight fighter.
Brooke Tessmacher
Wrestling News Source Three-time TNA Knockouts Champion Brooke Tessmacher got her start in pageants and fitness modeling. In 2007, she debuted on WWE’s main roster on the ECW brand, joining Kelly Kelly and Layla in Extreme Expose. After the dissolution of the group in 2007, Tessmacher went on to appear in a number of different TV shows, including Impact Wrestling and The Amazing Race.
Ronda Rousey
Cleveland.com The first American to win a medal in judo, Rousey is perhaps best known for her 12 consecutive wins in the MMA, six of which were in the Ultimate Fighters Championship (UFC.) Her recent endeavors have landed her on the big screen, with appearances in The Expendables 3 and Entourage.
Lolo Jones
For The Win Three-time NCAA titleholder, American hurdler and bobsledder Lori “Lolo” Jones is one of the few athletes who have represented the U.S. in both the Summer and Winter Olympic games. On the field she competes in the 60- and 100-meter hurdles, earning her gold medals at the World Indoor Championship.