Ilona Maher, born on August 12, 1996, is an American rugby union player who made her debut for the United States against Japan in 2018 in Paris, France. Her rugby career began at Quinnipiac University, where she played various sports, including field hockey, basketball, and soccer, before transitioning to rugby during her senior year of high school. The move to rugby eventually led her to join Quinnipiac University's rugby team where she won the MA Sorensen Award for National Player of the Year and also pursued a degree in nursing.
When she qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo as part of the U.S. Rugby Sevens team she became an Olympic TikToker, providing fans with a behind-the-scenes look at the Olympics and showcasing her personality. Ilona has used her social media platforms with over 1.5 million fans to address body image issues, particularly for muscular women, and has been an advocate for self-acceptance and empowerment.
Maher returned to the Olympics with Team USA in 2024, earning a Bronze medal in Women's Rugby.
Beyond rugby, Maher has leveraged her fame to inspire young girls and fans through social media, by spreading her love for rugby and fostering a growing interest in the sport amongst women.
