Sports Illustrated Swim Search finalist says husband took casting call snaps: It's never too late
Nina Cash, the retired university associate dean and mother of three from California, is a top 12 finalist in the 2023 Swim Search.
Berkleigh Wright and Nina Cash made a splash in Miami.
The women, who are finalists for the 2023 SI Swim Search, strutted down the catwalk during the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Runway Show during Miami Swim Week. The event took place July 7 at W Hotel South Beach.
Brooks Nader, one of the four 2023 cover girls, opened the show alongside her three younger sisters, the outlet reported. Camille Kostek, the 2019 cover star, also returned for her sixth runway appearance. She was joined by 2022 co-Rookies of the Year Christen Harper and Katie Austin.
Cash and Wright are among seven Swim Search finalists who made their runway debut. They appeared alongside Achieng Agutu, Sharina Gutierrez, Penny Lane, Brittney Nicole and Jena Sims. SI Swimsuit veterans Roshumba Williams, Samantha Hoopes, Carol Alt, Elsa Benitez and Vendela Kirsebom closed out the 30-minute show.
MODELS CAMILLE KOSTEK, KATIE AUSTIN STRUT IN CHEEKY BIKINIS FOR SI SWIMSUIT RUNWAY SHOW
Nina Cash is seen here walking the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Show's runway during the Miami Swim Week at W Hotel Miami Beach on July 7, 2023, in Miami Beach, Florida. (Getty Images)
Cash, 56, modeled a sleek black Sports Illustrated Women’s one-piece. She also wore a plunging blue two-piece by Left on Friday. She completed her look with beachy salt and pepper tresses and hoop earrings.
Wright, a Broncos cheerleader, opted for a mermaidcore style by rocking a netted white string bikini set from It’s Now Cool. She also sported an azure-hued shimmering bandeau top with a golden starfish from ALT Swim that was paired with high-cut string "cheeky bottoms."
SI Swim Search, an annual casting call, receives thousands of submissions from hopeful models every year. It aims to discover the outlet’s newest star. Readers can vote for their favorite model online through Aug. 31.
WATCH: SPORTS ILLUSTRATED SWIM SEARCH FINALIST, 56, SAYS HUSBAND TOOK CASTING CALL SNAPS
Cash is a retired university associate dean from California. It was her husband who encouraged her to give the casting call a shot.
"I was joking with my husband and daughter — I said, ‘I’m going to do it when I retire,'" the mother of three told Fox News Digital in April. "It was Jan. 2nd in Australia, which meant it was Jan. 1st in America … and I hadn’t worn a bikini in forever. So, I wore a bikini and my husband took some candid shots. And he said, ‘Honey, you should apply.’ And I said, ‘Oh, I think it’s too late. I think [it was over] in October.' So, he went online and said, ‘The deadline is Jan. 1st Let’s do it!’"
"So, I cobbled together footage and this candid shot that he had," Cash shared. "And then I did a really quick video and I spliced it together. I sent it in and thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be a miracle and super cool if I got this?’"
Nina Cash arrives at Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Runway Show at W Hotel Miami Beach on July 7, 2023, in Miami Beach, Florida. (Alexander Tamargo / Getty Images for Sports Illustrated)
Cash, who joked she was a "senior citizen," said she was inspired by Kathy Jacobs, who became "the oldest rookie" at age 57 in 2021.
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"There is no expiration date," Cash said. "You can keep going and going. … You can smooth over those road bumps. And that’s what I want to do. It’s never too late. It’s always right timing. I don’t think I would’ve been prepared to do this if I were younger. I think I am the best version of myself right now because I lived life. People talk about laugh lines — I have life lines. I’m not going to get rid of those life lines because that means I have lived life, and I’ve also been a lifeline to other people because of my age and my wisdom, my skills and my abilities. I have lived that. So, I wouldn’t trade it for the world."
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Berkleigh Wright, seen here during the SI Swimsuit Runway Show, told Fox News Digital she hopes to follow in Camille Kostek's footsteps. (Getty Images)
As for Wright, a technical account manager and analyst, she also told Fox News Digital in April that it was Kostek, a former New England Patriots cheerleader, who inspired her to try out for the competition. Kostek, 31, took part in SI Swimsuit's first open casting call. She was named the co-winner of the 2018 Swim Search and landed the cover the following year.
Camille Kostek previously appeared on the cover of SI Swimsuit. (Getty Images)
"She didn’t have a ton of modeling experience prior either," said Wright, 28, at the time. "And I just feel like, as an NFL cheerleader, it gives us this incredible platform because it combines our passions for dance but also giving back to the community and being a mentor. … She’s one that I’ve really looked after. She has such a natural beauty and an amazing, carefree energy that has become so contagious to me. I’ve been inspired by that, and I strive to help embody that view in others as well."
WATCH: BRONCOS CHEERLEADER, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED SWIM FINALIST REVEALS MOM’S WILD REACTION TO MAKING THE CUT
"It’s good to show younger women … that you can work in tech, in a male-dominated industry, and also be a model and an NFL cheerleader," she shared.
Kostek, now one of SI Swimsuit’s most sought-after pinups, is an advocate for body positivity. She’s known for her #NeverNotDancing motto, which celebrates self-love and encourages people to move their bodies, no matter where they are.
NFL cheerleader Berkleigh Wright attends the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Show during Miami Swim Week 2023 at the W Hotel Miami Beach on July 7, 2023, in Miami Beach, Florida. (Mireya Acierto / Getty Images)
The original swimsuit issue ran in 1964. It has been a launching pad for models like Kathy Ireland, Christie Brinkley, Elle Macpherson, Kate Upton and Ashley Graham.
DENISE AUSTIN'S SI SWIMSUIT MODEL DAUGHTER SAYS 66-YEAR-OLD MOM IS 'ALL-NATURAL'
Katie Austin, left, and Berkleigh Wright pose backstage for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Runway Show at W Hotel Miami Beach on July 7, 2023, in Miami Beach, Florida. (Alexander Tamargo / Getty Images for Sports Illustrated)
This year, Martha Stewart became the oldest model to grace the cover of the annual swimsuit issue. The 81-year-old surpassed Maye Musk, Elon Musk's mother, who posed for the issue in 2022 at age 74.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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