Ilona Maher was already a widely recognized Olympic athlete before joining the 33rd season of Dancing With the Stars. The rugby player competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2024 Paris Olympics, which put her on the map for a career in the spotlight. Now that she’s an advocate for body positivity, Ilona has become a major name.
Since she’s also a social media influencer, Ilona has enlightened fans with messages promoting self-love. In one of her most famous Instagram posts, the athlete wrote to women “with big shoulders.”
“You are not undesirable You are not built like a linebacker. You are not manly,” she wrote. “You are not unattractive. You are beautiful. You are imposing. You are powerful. You are magnificent. Put your shoulders back, wear your head high, and walk into any room like you own the place.”
Find out more about Ilona’s career and where her net worth stands, below.
Ilona is a ruby player from Vermont. She started playing the sport as a teenager and competed in college while attending Quinnipiac University.
After her collegiate career, Ilona was selected to represent the United States at the 2020 Olympic Games, which were actually held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Though Ilona didn’t medal at the 2020 games, she helped Team USA win bronze at the 2024 Olympics.
