Before They Were The 2012 SI Swimsuit Issue Rookies [PHOTOS]

By COED Staff February 14, 2012 1:36 pm Posted in A to Z, Adaora Akubilo, Crystal Renn, Features, Girls, Jessica Perez, Kirby Griffin, Michelle Vawer, Nina Agdal, Pics, TMZ RSS COED Staff g+ page

All the hype yesterday was surrounding Kate Upton and her huge… billboard. While it’s amazing to think that nobody had really heard of her this time last year, the release of the new Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue means that there’s another rookie class to wonder about. Who are they? What do their older photos look like? Are they now too popular to try to ask out on Twitter? We answer all these questions and more in our look at this year’s rookie class. The only question left remaining is whether or not the swimsuit n00bs have to endure any other types of hazing besides spanking. Check out their photos and vote for your favorite!

Born in Canada and raised in Hawaii, Michelle has spent a lot of time on the beach and in swimsuits. That’s why she was such a shoe-in for the film Into the Blue 2 (it has nothing to do with the fact that she’s gorgeous). She’s been in features and editorials in Italian Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Cosmopolitan but you probably recognize her from her appearance in How To Make It In America.

Click here to vote for Michelle

This girl might be crazy hot, but she’s also got to be a nutso because she hopped in the Devil’s Pool after her shoot in Zimbabwe (check her Twitter for more info). Having said that, Sports Illustrated landed a real winner who’s been in Sean Kingston’s “Take Me There” video and even attended the University of Wisconsin for a year. Badgers have always been a little wild.

Click here to vote for Kirby

We announced in March that Jessica had been the winner of Sports Illustrated’s 2011 model search so you can only imagine how excited we are to see her official photos. She grew up in Costa Rica but also spent time living in Honduras and Ecuador and has done previous photoshoots with Victoria’s Secret.

Click here to vote for Jessica

While this might be Crystal’s first time in the Swimsuit Issue, she’s been in the business for years. You might not know this by looking at her, but she’s overcome some serious weight fluctuation. Crystal has been featured all over the place, she was the face of Jimmy Choo in 2011 and has appeared in Vogue, Elle, Glamour, and Vanity Fair. While her earlier problems are certainly sad, I’m sure she’s happy with the way that things turned out.

Click here to vote for Crystal

A contestant on the reality TV show Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit Model Search all the way back in 2005, it’s nice to see her finally on their pages. Born in Windsor, Connecticut and coming from Nigerian descent she studied at Central Connecticut State University. Why she chose to hide in the middle of nowhere for so long, we’ll never know.

Click here to vote for Adaora

This has been a big year for Nina and it would have been a huge mistake to leave this Danish dame off of the SI Swimsuit Issue “want” list. Having already landed gigs with Garage, Maaji Swimwear, Triumph, Victoria’s Secret Pink and Fredrick’s of Hollywood, we’re luckily just beginning to see the fruits of her labor.