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Watch: Melissa Wood-Tepperberg Finds Out She’ll Be in the 2023 SI Swimsuit Issue
Melissa Wood-Tepperberg was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica.
Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated
Fitness and wellness leader Melissa Wood-Tepperberg is officially a 2023 SI Swimsuit rookie, and the certified health and wellness coach announced her new status in an Instagram post on Jan. 18.
The video started by showing Wood-Tepperberg on the phone as she received the exciting news that she had been booked for SI Swimsuit. The rest of the video montage showed snippets of Wood-Tepperberg as she prepared for her photo shoot in Dominica with photographer Yu Tsai.
“Since I was a teenager I remember flipping through the pages of SI and feeling such strength, beauty and empowerment from the many women who covered these iconic pages,” she wrote in the caption of her post. “But never in my life did I ever think that at the age of 40 and being a mother of two that I would now be in SI.”
Tons of Wood-Tepperberg’s one million IG followers flooded the comments section to congratulate her on her amazing accomplishment.
“😭👏 Congratulations @melissawoodtepperberg!!! Best fam @si_swimsuit ❤️🔥,” wrote fellow SI Swimsuit model Katrina Scott.
“MELISSA !!! Welcome to the fam my spiritual goddess 🧚♀️💕👯♀️!! Can’t wait to squeeze you!” added 2019 SI Swimsuit Issue cover model Camille Kostek.
“Welcome to the FAM!!!❤️❤️❤️,” piped in four-time SI Swimsuit model Brooks Nader, while 2022 co-Rookie of the Year Katie Austin said, “Omg yay!!!! Welcome to the @si_swimsuit fam!!!❤️❤️❤️.”
“This manifestation moment made a living breathing reality is why I never lost sight of our this deep desire. And my hope for all of us is that none of you ever do to,” Wood-Tepperberg continued. “I truly believe with everything inside of me when you keep your head down and do the work, anything in this life is possible. Literally anything when you want it badly enough.”
Wood-Tepperberg will make her SI Swimsuit debut in the 2023 issue later this spring.
Meet Melissa Wood-Tepperberg—read the 2023 SI Swimsuit rookie’s full feature profile here.
CARA O’BLENESS
Cara is a trending news writer/editor for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. A passionate writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience in print and online media, she loves storytelling and believes that words have the power to change the world. Prior to joining the team, Cara worked as a writer and editor across a number of content verticals, including food, lifestyle, health and wellness, and small business and entrepreneurship. In her free time, Cara loves reading, spending time with her family and making her way through Michigan’s many microbreweries. She is a graduate of Michigan State University's School of Journalism.