The 30 Hottest Athletes Of 2009

We all love lists of the hottest athletes, me especially, but there's nothing more frustrating than seeing names pop up on those lists of women who, while still hot, are no longer athletes.

For instance, Anna Kournikova and Jennie Finch don't play sports anymore. And as much as I love Lokelani McMichael or the Feres twins, there is nothing to suggest that they have done anything other than look pretty in 2009.

So here is my list of the hottest athletes who were active this year. The 30 Hottest Athletes Of 2009.

No. 30: Natalie Coughlin

We'll start with a winner. Coughlin took home six medals last year in the Olympics and she has showed no signs of slowing down. The previous holder of "Hottest Swimmer," Amanda Beard, didn't advance in the one event she participated in last year's Olympics, so it looks Coughlin is taking over.

No. 29: Heather Mitts

Yes, I know that I never place Heather Mitts as low as you would like, but this is the Hottest in 2009 list and Mitts is now on the north side of 30 and hasn't shown much in the "What Have You Done For Me Lately?" category.

She still makes the list and a hot athlete who is still kicking (thank you) this year, but who knows how many years she has left before she enjoys the cushy life of luxury of a backup quarterback's wife?

No. 28: Katya Meyers

Katya is a sexy triathlete who has participated in at least six events this year and has yet to finish out of the top ten.

There's something hot about a woman that you know has got stamina to spare.

No. 27: Karina Petroni

Karina Petroni is one that we need to be watching for the next ten years. This 20-year-old surfer and skater already had a kick-ass modeling career going. There's not much that she can't do.

You can check out even more pictures of her on her website.

No. 26: Gretchen Bleiler

What I love about Gretchen Bleiler is how much she loves snowboarding. While some women start focusing more on modeling once they get discovered, you can't tear Bleiler off the slopes, no matter how much we love pictures of her like this.

At the very least, her love of snowboarding will keep her a hottie athlete for many years to come.

No. 25: Candace Parker

After missing much of 2009 with a pregnancy, the one woman basketball player that I actually enjoy watching came back with a vengeance and made the 2nd Team All-WNBA.

I love watching her in a dress as much as I love watching her dunk a basketball, but I still will never understand her taste in men.

No. 24: Erin Phillips

Candace Parker is one reason you know of to watch the WNBA, but one you might not know about is Erin Phillips. This sexy Australian has surpassed Lauren Jackson as the basketball player bringing the thunder from down under.

No. 23: Olga Poutchkova

Olga is one of those athletes that seems to have a more promising career as a model than as an athlete. She is currently ranked No. 231 on the WTA tour in singles, but is a top 25 hottie. You do the math. We're just glad she spent enough time on the tennis courts to make her way from Russia to America.

No. 22: Hope Solo

Hope Solo is one of those girls that you get the distinct impression that she doesn't smile a whole lot, but it doesn't matter because she's got one of the sexiest glares in sports.

Seriously, it almost makes me want to say something mean to her so that she'll shoot that withering glare at me and melt my heart and soul at the same time.

No. 21: Anna Grzebien

Just two years into her professional career as a golfer, Grzebien has already made a big impact on the golf world and she hasn't even needed a golf club to do so.

I mean, just look at this picture. It tells me all I need to know. She's got terrific form and she's amazing in the rough.

No. 20: Amy Acuff

Amy Acuff is a high jumper. Her legs are taller than you are. That's pretty much all you need to know.

No. 19: Ashley Force

In my Hottest Athletes of the Decade article, I wondered out loud how a woman this beautiful ended up as a drag racer. A few different readers pointed out what an idiot I am that I didn't know her dad was one of the greatest drag racers of all time. Duly noted.

I guess we have two sets of genes to thank for Ashley Force. Her mom for her looks and her dad for her affinity for speed.

No. 18: Natalie Gulbis

A sponsor once said of Gulbis, "Once she wins an event, she'll blow up." Well, that has only happened once in 2007 and Gulbis only made two top 10s in 2009. I'm not sure the day will ever come where she "blows up," but at least she's nice to look when you accidentally flip the channel to women's golf.

No. 17: Daniela Hantuchova

Hantuchova popped onto the scene as a skinny little girl with potential in 2002. Since then, she has filled out into her body and has become a full blown sex symbol for the WTA, which says a lot because Lord knows there's some competition out there.

And kudos to Hantuchova for keeping her game up. She is currently ranked No. 24 in the world which is pretty good for such a long period of time. The better she is, the more she advances in tournaments, the more we get to see of her.

No. 16: Sophie Sandolo

Sophie Sandolo is a golfer on the European tour, but she is far better known for her nude calendars that she puts out every year.

Her bio states that she is far more than just a pretty face and is sure that her time on Big Break Ka’anapali will definitely help her reach her goal of playing on the LPGA.

Unfortunately she finished second on the show, but she is more than just a pretty face. She's also got a kickin' body.

No. 15: Blair O'Neal

Blair O'Neal definitely seems way more worried about her modeling career than she does being a professional golfer. Her website says "Model. Golfer," not the other way around. And apparently she is Sexy. Athletic. Unstoppable. as well.

Honestly, I don't really care that much. She is sexy and if she chooses to focus more on looking good than playing golf, more power to her. I think that might be the easier route. Put on makeup or hours and hours of practice...

No. 14: Victoria Azarenka

Really, Victoria is just living proof that all Russian women are incredible looking. If you saw her play tennis you might not think anything of her, but throw her in a bikini, mousse up her hair and put her in some heels and BAM! Instant model.

Thank you, Russia, for all you have done for female sports.

No. 13: Kim Hall

Kim Hall is a sexy golfer from Stanford, so chances are she may have met Tiger Woods. Which also means there's a good chance she slept with Tiger Woods.

It's not truthful or relevant, but just the first thing that I think of when I see Kim Hall now.

No. 12: Gina Carano

Carano is sexy, sweet, and powerful. It's no wonder that men everywhere are taken by her. She's got a model's looks, seems like a genuinely nice person, and can kick anyone's ass whose nickname isn't something like "Cyborg."

Carano is the perfect face for MMA. The perfect body, too.

No. 11: Maria Verchenova

Hot Russians named Maria with last names that end in "ova" have dominated the tennis scene for so long that it was only a matter of time til one of them decided to switch sports.

Maria Verchenova has been labeled "Golf's Next Hottest Swing" by some and that's a title I can get behind.

No. 10: Maria Sharapova

Sharpova hasn't had the easiest 2009. She's still not fully recovered from shoulder surgery and only won one title this year, but you just can't keep her out of the top 10.

It's like keeping Jordan out of the All-Star game when he came back a second time. Sure, he may not be at his best, but he's a legend and deserves it on reputation alone. So Maria, as long as I'm calling the shots and you're swinging a racket, you'll always have a spot on my lists and in my heart.

No. 9: Ana Ivanovic

Ana Ivanovic may be one of the most underrated hotties in sports. She gets overshadowed by longer legged, blond beauties on the tour, but she is consistently one of the finest women out there right now.

She's even pulling double duty as a WAG. That's tough work right there. It means she has to compete against models on the court and models who don't even play sports. It's hard to be Ana.

No. 8: Maria Kirilenko

Maria Kirilenko has been around since 2005, but only recently have we really started to grasp her beauty. She has slowly started to grab the title of the hottest tennis player in the world and I'm looking forward to seeing her step up her game if she wants to keep it for a while.

No. 7: Niki Gudex

BMX biker Niki Gudex has been listed as one of the sexiest women in the world in Australia's FHM from 2002-2006, but that hasn't stopped her from continuing to jump on the bike year in and year out.

She hasn't lost a step athletics-wise, and certainly hasn't lost a single thing sexiness-wise, either.

No. 6: Sarah Burke

Burke, like fellow snow bunny Gretchen Bleiler, loves the powder. This freestyle skier may look best when she's wearing almost nothing at all, but that doesn't stop her from putting on snow pants and a jacket and getting out there on a daily basis.

I'm glad she takes time to show off her body for publications like FHM (and bless them for having her do that), but Sarah is most at home in the snow and will be for the rest of her life most likely.

No. 5: Tanith Belbin

Tanith Belbin started out as an ice dancer who was "pretty cute" in my eyes. But she just keeps getting better and better. A couple more photoshoots like this and Belbin may start making some serious claims for the hottest woman in sports, period.

No. 4: Jennifer Barretta

While Jeannette Lee was the first woman to bring sexy to pool, Jennifer Barretta perfected it.

She took a year off from pool to be a mom, but she is back and men everywhere could not be happier. There isn't a greater sight in billiards than Jennifer taking a shot. Trust me.

No. 3: Allison Stokke

I thought I would throw in a different picture from the one everyone has seen a couple of hundred times by now. If you don't know about Allison Stokke by now, you should have.

She took the internet and the world by storm when a picture of her looking goood in her track uniform surfaced and we haven't gotten enough of her yet by far.

She is just so cute in every way and I hope Stokke takes full advantage of her celebrity very soon with some appearances in some magazines or something.

No. 2: Leryn Franco

How telling is it that a woman can look this good just hanging out at an event? This looks like she could be doing a photoshoot right now, but that's just Franco chilling while waiting to throw a javelin.

Leryn Franco is just gorgeous, plain and simple. There is no disputing this fact.

No. 1: Kristi Leskinen

I just can't get over how hot Kristi Leskinen is. It's like she dropped straight from heaven with a pair of skis on. There is no way a woman this beautiful should be an Olympic athlete as well. That's just too much.

However, as unfair as that may be, I'm thrilled that she is an athlete and as long as she can even muster up the effort to go down a bunny slope, I will count Kristi Leskinen as one of the hottest athletes in the world.

Does she take the No. 1 spot on your list?