Las Vegas model graces Sports Illustrated pages

She was the one.

More than 3,000 girls applied and 12 were named finalists but only one girl was left standing at the end of NBC's Sports Illustrated's 2005 Swimsuit Model Search reality show -- 20-year-old Las Vegan Alicia Hall.

Hall received a $1 million modeling contract with NEXT Model Management, a photo spread in Sports Illustrated's 2005 Swimsuit Issue and, with it, instant fame and notoriety.

Hall began modeling six years ago when talent manager Kim Flowers, the owner of John Robert Powers talent schools in Las Vegas and Reno, began guiding her budding career. Hall tried out for the show last August during a Las Vegas audition sponsored by Flowers and emerged as the local winner.

The six-week show began taping in January in Malibu, Calif., with the 12 finalists living in a posh estate. The models were judged by a three-person panel which included former Sports Illustrated model Roshumba Williams, NEXT Model management president Joel Wilkenfeld and Sports Illustrated swimsuit editor Jule Campbell.

Hall made it to the final round where she and Shannon Hughes were flown to Bora Bora for a photo shoot. After a nationwide vote, Hall came out on top as was revealed to the world on show's Feb. 9 finale.

Hall almost fainted when her name was read.

"I was definitely in shock because I thought it was going to go the other way because all of the other girls on the show were voting for her except maybe two," Hall revealed. "So a lot of people were on her side but I was definitely in shock when I won."

It wasn't the seven figures worth of work Hall earned with the win that mattered most, it was the chance to fulfill a lifelong dream -- to grace the pages of the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

"To me what really mattered the most was the layout in Sports Illustrated," Hall said.

Hall said she received some good advice from the editors of the magazine.

"I worked with Jule Campbell ... she's actually amazing," Hall said. "And I also worked with Diane Smith who's the current (swimsuit edition) editor. They told me to always keep my chin up. In the modeling world they say 'keep your chin up' because it gives you a long neck and makes you look beautiful in a swimsuit."

Hall, who also works as a web designer and has started her own music label, is glad she can be an inspiration for others.

"It feels great to win and become one of the Sports Illustrated girls," Hall said. "I've worked so hard to make this aspiration become a reality. After overcoming so many struggles in my life, it is a dream come true to finally be a role model for young women in Southern Nevada."

Hall was born and raised in Las Vegas and attended Fremont Middle School. Her mom still lives here and her dad lives in Sacramento. Both are absolutely thrilled with their daughter's lot.

"My parents aren't together anymore but they're definitely excited," Hall said. "They call me every day."

Hall's manager, Flowers, was ecstatic about her model's win but knew sooner or later her time to shine would come.

"It was huge," Flowers said of Hall winning the show. "I called everybody that I knew around the country to vote for her, for sure. And I personally thought she was extremely beautiful and exotic and should be the girl on the cover but you never know how it's going to work out.

"But more importantly, Alicia's a good girl. She's strong, she's solid, she believes in herself."

Hall was ready for fame.

"It's not weird because I was basically preparing myself for success," she said. "I knew something had to give and something had to happen because I've been doing this for so long and I was just waiting for my turn and my turn came through."

In the last two months Hall -- who now also has an apartment in New York City -- has done a variety of work including appearing on a local Curves billboard campaign.

"I'm doing a few magazine covers here and there and then I've done a Calvin Klein layout with Macy's," Hall said. "And I was on MTV with Nick Cannon and Rob Schneider on a show for their MTV Spring Break. I played a lifeguard on a special called "Celebrity Fans." There were actually fans in the audience that got their so-called fantasies fulfilled by a celebrity."

Flowers knows now that Hall has gotten to this critical point, the real fun is just beginning.

"The best is still yet to come," Flowers said.