It’s no surprise that sports and athletics breed hot bodies. What is hot is poring over this list and finding out exactly what sports breed the most hot bodies. There are four golfers on this list! Four! Since when do golfers have better bodies than surfers? There’s no accounting for the madness on this list, but once you read over it, you’ll come to the same conclusion I did. The Mayans were right. The world is going to end. Which is completely fine, because I don’t want to live in a world where golfers are hotter than surfers. It’s just too bizarre.

25. Natalie Gulbis

Doing the impossible: Making golf sexy.

24. Sophie Horn

Two golfers kicking off this list has to be a first. The four horsemen should be cruising by any minute now.

23. Ana Mancino

Revolutionizing the way we think about Italian volleyball players. Not that we thought about them before.

22. Stella Vidal

We will gladly submit to this MMA fighter.

21. Natalie Coughlin

It’s no surprise that she picked a career where she always wears a swimsuit.

12. Anna Kournikova

You know how we roll at TPS. Let’s bookend this list with the Russian tennis players. Anyone who has a problem with that better make a VERY compelling argument in the comments. IF we really need a reason besides “she’s really really hot,” let’s just say that her grunting isn’t a huge turnoff and leave it at that.

11. Michelle Kwan

I’m going to go out on a limb and posit that the blur spin has practical applications beyond those on the ice. She’s used to being carried and tossed. Check and check.

10. Ashley Harlkeroad

She looks good in little-to-no clothing, she isn’t afraid to get naked, and her last name practically begs “porn pseudonym.” She makes the cut. Congratulations, Ashley! Welcome to the world of porn!

9. Misty May Treanor

We’re going to completely ignore the fact that some of these women are married, because that just sucks all the fun out of this exercise. Misty’s got the body, the tan, and though she’s a volleyball player, she’s only clocking in at 5’9″, so you don’t have to worry about her movies going straight to the “Amazon Woman” section of your adult bookstore.

CLICK HERE For The #1 Female Athlete We’d Love to See in a Porno

When it comes to magazine modeling, Playboy used to occupy the top spot with their bunnies and cover girls. However, as we listen to the death rattles of print media, Playboy’s iron grip has loosened and “lad mags” like Maxim and FHM have gotten their foot in the door, offering hot girls aimed at a slightly younger reader. Regardless of the target audience, these girls are hot, so kick back and enjoy the view.

16. Arianny Celeste

While not an athlete, per se, she works in an MMA ring. That’s close enough to athleticism that we don’t need to split hairs. Especially with a body like that. Apparently, she was so good at holding the placard saying what round it was that Maxim decided to honor her with a magazine cover. May her song never die.

15. Gretchen Bleiler – Snowboarding

Now, only one of these girls is a professional athlete, so we have to ask you to only look at Gretchen on the far right and not the other two girls who are of absolutely no interest to us because they are not athletes. As the cover says, these are painted bikinis, but the that doesn’t keep the strategically placed tape from being something of a disappointment.

14. USA Water Polo Team

Let’s keep this list going with 12 naked girls all on one cover, okay? ESPN The Magazine seems to love to use “The Body Issue” as an excuse to put naked athletes (usually female) on their cover. Which is not only fine, but commendable. Now, I can’t tell you much about the US Water Polo team, but after seeing this picture, I can tell you I would like to know more about them. Do they do everything naked together? Do they even wear uniforms when playing? Someone answer these burning questions in the comments.

13. Gina Carano

Remember the new “American Gladiators?” Think really hard. Remember those two weeks it was on like three years ago? Well, something was able to last from that short-lived reboot. The world was introduced to Gina Carano, a Dallas girl who quickly became the poster child for women’s MMA. In 2009, Carano realized she had a bona fide modeling career as she skyrocketed to #16 on the Maxim Hot 100 list. She has stepped away from MMA fighting to further pursue a career in entertainment and fitness modeling, a move we can all get behind.

12. Serena Williams – Tennis

Sure, she’s big enough to toss you through a window, but despite her physique and dominance on the clay and grass, Serena has a feminine side. She’s got a clothing line called Aneres (Serena backwards, get it?) and gets hounded by paparazzi like her last name was Lohan-Montag, so it’s no surprise that ESPN the mag decided to let her grace the cover completely nude. Save for a smile.

11. Jennie Finch – Softball

Finch’s appearance here should be no surprise to anyone who was watching TV or even had a pulse five years ago. She was the poster girl for the hot female athlete and the fact that she could pitch a perfect game while filing her nails allowed every outlet to play the “she’s not just another pretty face” card, which allowed them to show pics of her in a more athletic context than most. And of course, Sports Illustrated, being that bastion of integrity, saw that anyone who can chuck a softball that fast deserved a cover. I’m sure the fact that she’s smoking was just a coincidence.

10. Bia and Branca Feres – Synchronized Swimming

The fact that these girls aren’t as popular stateside as the Hilton sisters blows my mind. Hot, identical twin sisters that happen to be synchronized swimmers and Brazilian. If that’s not enough for you, then you must be the greediest person alive. In 2004 and 2005, the girls were part of an exchange program with a Seattle high school, the name of which should be officially changed to “the luckiest high school in the history of mankind.” It’s wordy, but apt.

9. Stacy Keibler – WWE

Stacy Keibler, from “Dancing with the Stars” and WWE fame, has been one of the more active athlete-model-celebrities of the past five years. Knowing that a career in the WWE will only take you so far as a woman, she managed to parlay that notoriety into appearances on “Psych,” “How I Met Your Mother,” and “George Lopez.” Those appearances, though impressive don’t hold a candle to what has now become the yellow brick road to national notoriety – a “Dancing with the Stars” appearance. Keibler placed third on the second season, ensuring that even if she doesn’t get too much work in the future, she won’t be soon forgotten.

8. Amanda Beard – Swimming

Hard to believe that this girl does anything but book cover shoots in bikinis, but strangely enough, she is actually a pretty competent swimmer. She placed first in this swimming race at this thing called the Olympics, winning her their reputed “gold medal.” More specifically, it was the 200m breaststroke. Of course it was the breaststroke. Sometimes this job is really easy.

7. Anastasia Ashley – Surfing

It would be tragic if a surfer girl named Anastasia Ashley wasn’t incredibly hot, but sleep easy, dear readers. She is. While Ms. Ashley may not be among the most lauded athletes on this site, she’s an athlete, and she’s ridiculously good looking. She probably doesn’t always go around surfing in a bikini like in a Gidget movie, but if she does…then God bless us all.

6. Logan Tom, Amanda Beard, Amy Acuff, Haley Cope, Jenny Adams – Olympians

The 2004 Olympics were a banner year for hot female athletes. Unsurprisingly, every men’s mag on the market took note of this and captured it on their covers or through extensive pictorials. Much to our benefit, FHM joined the party and put together this cover spread and pictorial showing the readers what the pride of a nation really looks like.

5. Anna Benson – Baseball WAG

The outspoken wife of American baseball player Kris Benson has dug her nails in to the media and seemingly won’t let go until she’s said all she has to say. Which is fine, I guess, so long as she keeps appearing in photo spreads where we don’t HAVE to listen to her opinions on everything from Katrina to 9/11 to animal rights. I’m not saying she’s wrong about any of it, but Benson carries more weight in photos than she does in interviews.

4. Maria Sharapova – Tennis

If this article can accomplish one thing, I would like it to draw attention to the dearth of Sharapova covers on magazines in our United States. The fact that we need to go abroad to get Sharapova on this list in a bikini is borderline criminal. Here’s to hoping that as her tennis career winds down, her modeling career winds up and Sasha gives his blessing for lots of trashy cover shoots.

3. Ana Ivanocic – Tennis

With a name like “Ivanocic,” it’s hardly surprising that this tennis star has gone international, gracing the cover of FHM in no fewer than three different languages. And why wouldn’t she, with beauty that clearly transcends language? Unlike many other athlete-models, Ivanocic has the skill to match her looks, having been ranked #1 in the world. The beauty born in Serbia is now holding steady at #17. (But #1 in our hearts. I mean, #3)

2. Danica Patrick – Auto Racing

When a men’s magazine wants you to appear on the cover in a bikini, it’s sketchy. But when a fitness mag wants you on its cover in a bikini, it’s a testament to the hard work and healthy lifestyle that embodies your outlook on your athletic training. The end result is the same – you end up on a magazine cover in a bikini. If they’re able to shed the guilt this way, then more power to ‘em. So long as they keep showing off their bodies, the readers will find the media.

1. Anna Kournikova – Tennis

If Maxim had a “Playmate of the Century” award, it would likely go to Kournikova, who has graced the cover on three different occasions. Of the three, no hotter was a shoot than the one pictured, which shows Anna in various forms of undress in her Wimbledon whites. It’s no wonder that she is reluctant to pose for Playboy, as she clearly has a good thing going with their rival publication.

When the game is on the line, athletes have to perform with every set of eyeballs in the crowd locked on them. These ladies probably have to deal with every set of eyeballs on them even when the games or matches aren’t even close. Hell, even when they’re at the grocery store or walking their dog, these girls probably command attention, wanted or not. Why? ‘Cause they got back. Sir Mix-a-Lot, if you’re reading, this piece is for you. Here are some of the best backsides in women’s sports. Actually, in the world, not just women’s sports. Enjoy.

19. Kerri Walsh

What has two index fingers and a great backside? THIS GIRL!

18. Francesca Piccinini

You don’t have to have a killer derriere to be a pro volleyball player. But it don’t hurt.

17. Anna Semenovich

I hadn’t heard of her either. Good luck trying to forget her after seeing this pic. In case you meet her and talk about her interests, she’s a figure skater. So read up on figure skating.

16. Anna Kournikova

We’re not going for subtlety here. And apparently, neither is she.

15. Maria Sharapova

This picture doesn’t offer much in the way of context, but when it comes to Sharapova’s body parts, context is wayyyyy overrated.

14. Misty May

The best thing about female volleyball players is that when they have a great ass, it is hidden from no one.

13. Sandra Pires

I think all Brazilian women’s sports should be simulcast stateside. If only for the tiny outfits.

12. Amy Acuff

I’m sure there is a great reason why a high jumper needs a tone and taught butt, but rather than ask why, let’s just be grateful for what we have been given.

11. Anastasia Ashley

She gets 42 extra hot points for being named Anastasia and not being a stripper or wannabe pop singer.

10. Gabrielle Reece

You can’t tell where the bikini stops and the backside starts, which is just fine. Even at 6′ 3″, she’s proportioned well.

Click Here For Best Backsides in Women’s Sports 9-1

The archetypes of the female athlete’s body and the Playboy cover girl’s body don’t overlap much. The assets of a successful female athlete aren’t exactly the body parts that your typical Playboy reader would prize, so when an athlete fits the Playboy mold, it’s a pretty big deal. It doesn’t happen often, but it happens sometimes. And it happens a lot more if you consider professional wrestlers “athletes,” which is totally something we’re gonna do, lest this list stop at four or five entries. So, for those of you that think power and the competitive fire is as sexy as a killer rack, this list is for you.

16. Lisa Guerrero – Sportscaster

Sportscasters are close to athletes, so she makes the cut. In January 2006, Lisa Guerrero made the cover of Playboy after a broadcasting career that included working with Fox Sports NFL and co-hosting the World Series of Pop Culture. While she may not have been garnering the appreciation she wanted from those two roles, the Playboy appearance more than made up for it. Since her appearance, she has racked up over 20 TV appearances on major network, proving that posing for Playboy isn’t always a last resort for your career.

15. Kiana Tom – Fitness Expert
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The Irish, Chinese, and Hawaiian Tom had been a fixture on mid-morning ESPN as an exercise show host when she got the call to be on the cover of the May 2002 cover of Playboy. Her balance of athleticism and looks made the issue one of the best-selling of the decade, despite the fact that she was pretty far from a household name.

14. Chyna – WWE

Chyna was what many considered to be a quintessential female wrestler. Big, muscular, somewhat masculine-looking. However, that didn’t stop her legions of fans from beating a path to the newsstands when she appeared on the cover of Playboy in November of 2000 dressed up like Xena: Warrior Princess. Her sex tape, which leaked later, showed that sexuality can take all sorts of weird, weird forms.

13. Arianny Celeste – UFC

Celeste made recent appearance. Recent like, this month. Arianny Celeste is a ring girl for the UFC and is a 24 year-old from Las Vegas, Nevada. Her self-proclaimed responsibilities consist of “…don’t trip over your feet, and try to look hot and graceful.” May her song never die.

12. Rachelle Leah – UFC

Octagon girls are athletes for the sake of this piece. While her athletic pedigree may be questionable at best, her modeling pedigree is not with pictorials in Maxim, Men’s Fitness, 944, Muscle and Fitness, Vegas Magazine and Stuff.

Click Here For 16 Athletes on the Cover of Playboy 11-7

So how does one beat a top-flight Michael Phelps?  Let’s just say the secret is in the suit.

This year FINA (the international swimming body) has found themselves in the middle of a debate over the new swimsuits being worn by several of the competing swimmers.  Records continue to fall at an outstanding pace, and many believe it has something to do with the buoyancy-enhancing, friction-reducing polyurethane outfits being used in races.  Phelps and his coach, Bob Bowman, are just two of the individuals who have voiced a concern.

Phelps finished second to Germany’s Paul Biedermann in the 200-meter freestyles in Rome.  His winning time was fast enough to set the new world record, previously held by Phelps.  Following the race, Bowman had the following to say:

“The sport is in shambles right now. They better do something or they’re going to lose their guy who fills these seats.” [USA Today]

Even Phelps made his opinion known to reporters, stating that “It’s not swimming. I’m looking forward to the day that we’re able to call our sport swimming again.”  Phelps did however stop short of taking all the credit away from his opponent, admitting that Biedermann was in fact in better shape for the race.

Where swimming will go from here remains to be seen.  Reports indicate that tighter standards may be set on swimsuits.  Whether this will lead to a naked Amanda Beard swimming in the 2012 London Games is anyone’s guess.  Just think of the possibilities.

Hat Tip – [The Big Lead]

1. & 2. Bia and Branca Feres, Brazil, Synchronized swimming,

Who would have that thought there would ever be a reason to tune in and watch Synchronized swimming, now there are two. These two medal hopefulls are easily the hottest women at the games and should get a gold medal for being the hottest Olympians.

3. Amanda Beard, USA, Swimming,

Not only is Amanda smoking hot but she is apparently an excellent swimmer. She is a co-captain of the U.S. team and looks to add another medal to her growing collection. Amanda was also featured in Playboy magazine.

4. Stephanie Rice, Australia, Swimming,

This Aussie bombshell is a defending gold medalist. She has also been known as a quite a party animal as evidence by her many facebook party pics, like the one shown here.

5. Natalie Coughlin, USA, Swimming,

Natalie is yet another stunning co-captain of the USA’s women’s swim team. It is safe to say that female Olympic swimming makes for great T.V. viewing, I know I will be watching.