Ilona Maher

Ilona Maher grew up in Vermont playing a variety of sports. She got into rugby when she was 17 years old and went on to play at Quinnipiac University. After graduating with her nursing degree — and winning three championships with the team — Maher turned her focus to rugby as a career.

In 2018, Maher made her debut with the USA Rugby World Cup Sevens team. She competed in her first Olympics in Tokyo, finishing in sixth place. During the 2024 Paris Olympics, Maher won a bronze medal as part of Team USA. She graced the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit that August and joined the cast of Dancing With the Stars season 33 one month later. She performed alongside Alan Bersten, placing second in the November 2024 finale.