McLaughlin joins Felix, Griffith-Joyner and Joyner-Kersee as SI cover girl

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Sydney McLaughlin can now add Sports Illustrated cover girl to her growing list of achievements and milestones.

McLaughlin, a Union Catholic NJ graduate, and left-handed pitcher MacKenzie Gore of Whiteville, N.C., share the cover of the magazine’s July 17 edition after being honored Tuesday as the Gatorade National Athletes of the Year. The magazine appears on newsstands Wednesday.

“I don’t know what to say because when we had that photo shoot, I was like, this is probably for (Faces in the Crowd) or something like that,” said McLaughlin, the only two-time honoree in the 15-year history of Gatorade’s National Athlete of the Year program.

“I’m shocked. Hopefully people think the picture looks OK. I think it looks OK. I like it.”

McLaughlin, 17, became the first female teenager since fellow Olympians Katie Ledecky and Simone Biles – both 19 at the time – were featured on the magazine’s cover Aug. 22 with Michael Phelps as the American stars of the Rio Games. Mo’ne Davis, then 13 competing in the Little League World Series, was the last teenage female to grace the SI cover by herself in 2014.

McLaughlin, a Kentucky signee, joins American women’s track and field legends Allyson Felix, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Florence Griffith-Joyner and Mary Decker in earning a place on the cover.

In 2012, members of Team USA gymnastics “Fierce Five” – Gabby Douglas, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, Kyla Ross and Jordyn Wieber – all appeared on the cover as teenagers during the summer in which they won the team gold medal at the London Olympics.

Kristie Phillips made history in 1986, as the then 14-year-old American gymnast donned the cover as the projected heir apparent to 1984 Olympic all-around gold medalist Mary Lou Retton. Phillips was the first high school female to make the SI cover.

Phillips also served as a cautionary tale to McLaughlin and others, having not qualified to compete in the Seoul Olympics in 1988 and winding up attending LSU as a cheerleader instead of pursuing a gymnastics career.

“I want to be able to make noise not only in high school, but then not go silent in college,” said McLaughlin, who reached the 400-meter hurdles semifinals at age 16 at the Rio Olympics.

“I want to continue my success there and hopefully in multiple events.”

McLaughlin appeared on the cover wearing her Union Catholic kit, marking another chapter in her legacy at the New Jersey school where she set several state, national, American and World U-20 records during her four-year career, along with being a member of a world record in the indoor distance medley relay Jan. 28 with Emma Coburn, Brenda Martinez and Jenny Simpson at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix.

“This year was all about having a last, kind of, hurrah, having one last season with my coaches and my team and just enjoying it before it gets serious with college and on to the pros,” McLaughlin said. “I think everything happened perfectly for a reason. Transferring from public school, everyone was like, ‘Why are you leaving? You’re going to regret it.’

“I’ve grown so much since freshman year and (coach Mike McCabe) he’s helped me develop and evolve, and it’s crazy to think it’s over with. Four years ago when we first met, I was terrified, and now I don’t want it to end. He and all the coaches and the staff at UC are going to forever have an impact on me because they really helped start what is my career.”

Gore, who earned a $6.7 million signing bonus after being selected third overall by the San Diego Padres in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, is the second draftee in this year’s baseball class in less than three months to be featured on SI’s cover.

Notre Dame CA graduate Hunter Greene, who received the largest signing bonus for a draftee at $7.23 million after being selected second overall by the Cincinnati Reds, was profiled on the May 1 cover.

“That’s awesome to be recognized with (Hunter),” Gore said. “And to share it with Sydney, she’s incredible. It’s really amazing.”