Jena Sims is officially a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Rookie.
The outlet recently announced that the actress and model will be joining Penny Lane, Brittney Nicole, Nina Cash, Sharina Gutierrez, Berkleigh Wright and Achieng Agutu in the 2024 issue. It’s the first time the magazine is welcoming all the Swim Search finalists who walked in their annual Swim Week runway show.
“I’m still speechless,” the wife of pro golfer Brooks Koepka told Fox News Digital. “It’s not easy wrapping your head around achieving my biggest goal in life.”
Jena Sims and the other SI Swim Search contestants will be featured in the 2024 issue. (Alberto Tamargo/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit)
“I filmed my audition video almost exactly a year ago and so much has happened since then!” the 34-year-old gushed. “My initial reaction was instant tears. I was on the Zoom call… in Miami waiting to get my hair done! I had instant tears. I cry all over again re-watching the SI Swimsuit announcement video where it shows everyone’s initial reactions.”
“I didn’t even mind the fact that I was crying in public!” Sims added.
While Sims was sworn to secrecy before the news was made public, she couldn’t resist telling a special someone.
Brooks Koepka and Jena Sims Koepka arrive at the Spanish Steps prior to the Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf Club on Sept. 27, 2023, in Rome, Italy. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
“I did call my husband, who then told our dog and our 2-month-old, Crew,” Sims admitted. “So word travels fast in the Koepka household.”
The original swimsuit issue ran in 1964. It has since been a launching pad for models like Kathy Ireland, Christie Brinkley, Elle Macpherson, Kate Upton and Ashley Graham.
The former Miss Teen USA was eight months pregnant with her and Koepka’s first child when she walked the SI Swim Week runway show in July.
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Jena Sims was eight months pregnant with her son when she walked the runway during SI Swim Week in July. (Getty Images)
“To me, being a rookie and being associated with such a powerhouse brand means that I’m ready to take my career to the next level,” Sims explained. “All of my hard work has paid off, and I’m so excited to see what 2024 has in store. I plan on using this new platform to continue my nonprofit events with the Pageant of Hope and continue my other charitable partnerships.”
Sims met Koepka, 33, at the 2015 Masters. They married in June 2022 after five years of dating.
“He’s so supportive,” Sims previously told Fox News Digital in April about her longtime love. “I think that’s why our relationship is so successful because I’m supportive of his hopes and dreams. And he’s so interested in everything that I have going on, which couldn’t be further from what he has going on.”
Jena Sims was part of the annual casting call for SI Swimsuit. (Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit)
When asked about being a pro golfer’s wife, Sims joked, “It tests your patience.”
“But I’m pretty fortunate,” she shared. “It’s really exciting that my husband doesn’t have a 9-to-5 and neither do I… I’m able to travel with him and go support him. And then whenever I have something going on, if he doesn’t have a tournament, he can come and support me… We get to stay together… I get to look forward to seeing him at the end of the day if he’s had a good day or a bad day. I love being there for him.”
When Sims and Koepka are not hitting the road together, they are happily at home.
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Brooks Koepka and Jena Sims welcomed a son named Crew Sims Koepka this year. (Phillip Faraone/FilmMagic)
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“We [like to] catch up on all of our trash reality TV shows,” said Sims. “That’s our thing together – watching reality TV… It’s just us and our dog. But when we leave the house for a date, there’s a really good restaurant here called U-Tiki. It’s plastic chairs, sushi, drinks… People are like, ‘That’s your favorite restaurant?’ Absolutely. I don’t need to be wined and dined, like ‘Take me to Miami, let’s go to Nobu.’ I do love Nobu, but we just like [to be] casual, chill. Just us.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
