Swimsuit

Ilona Maher Is Back for SI Swimsuit 2025

The rugby superstar returns for a second sun-soaked year in a row.

Allie Hayes

Ilona Maher was photographed by Ben Watts in Bermuda. Swimsuit by TRUSSO SWIM.
Ilona Maher was photographed by Ben Watts in Bermuda. Swimsuit by TRUSSO SWIM. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Ilona Maher is back for round two with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit!

The 28-year-old rugby superstar joins the brand for a second year in a row after making her debut as the Sept. 2024 digital cover star with her stunning Bellport, N.Y. shoot, photographed by Ben Watts. After helping the U.S. Women’s rugby team take home a bronze medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics, the athlete was catapulted to the level of “household name” thanks to her undeniable authenticity, relatable humor and her unflinching advocacy for women in sports. She achieved further superstardom after placing second on season 33 of Dancing With the Stars, quickly winning over the hearts of viewers everywhere.

Venturing to Bermuda this time, Maher has teamed up with Watts once again and SI Swimsuit is beyond excited to officially welcome her back! While her full gallery of images will be released in May, the brand is elated to share the first official image as a sneak peek in the meantime, and be sure to follow our 2025 reveals page and Instagram so you don’t miss any behind the scenes looks from the set.

Ilona Maher models a swimsuit while leaning against a wall.
Ilona Maher was photographed by Ben Watts in Bermuda. Swimsuit by TRUSSO SWIM. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Maher’s cool confidence and radiant realness were on full display during the sun-soaked shoot, but her breathtaking beauty is just one piece of the total package that is this undeniable icon. Keep reading to learn more.

From the Paris Olympics to New York for SI Swimsuit

Maher positively dominated during the 2024 Paris Olympics where she aided in leading the U.S. Women’s rugby team to a bronze medal win—the country’s first medal in the sport. Viewers everywhere quickly fell in love with the athlete thanks to a combination of her powerful prowess in her chosen sport and her delightful social media presence, where she often took to TikTok and Instagram to advocate for women in sports, promote body positivity, post humorous behind the scenes content and was overall just a deeply relatable individual.

Riding high on her medal-winning performance in France, Maher made a pit stop in Bellport, N.Y. for her SI Swimsuit debut in the Sept. 2024 digital issue. Modeling gorgeous suits by brands like Eres, Myra Swim and Haus of Pink Lemonaid (just to name a few), the rugby superstar opened up about her relationship with her own body, saying, “I was always like, you know, called masculine or whatever, but I never felt that way. But I don’t think you’re going to bully the girl who could probably beat you up in a rage. I love that [rugby] showed me what I can do. It showed me how capable my body is and it’s not just like a tool to be looked at and objectified.”

In Dec. 2024, Maher signed with the Bristol Bears in the Premiership Women’s rugby league. She began playing for the team in Jan. 2025, with rugby still being a massive part of her life.

Runner-up on Dancing With the Stars

After capturing the hearts of everyone in America during the 2024 Paris Olympics, Maher happily took on her next big challenge: joining the celebrity-packed cast for season 33 of Dancing With the Stars. The Olympian was an instant favorite among fans with her unwavering commitment to learning the often complicated dance numbers and her unique chemistry with partner Alan Bersten shining through TV screens across the country.

Maher reached a whole new audience thanks to her star-making turn on the program, and while she didn’t take home the coveted mirrorball trophy, she did place second, coming in as the runner-up and gaining a larger fanbase, an appreciation for dance and a new friend in Bersten in the process.

While discussing their very first meeting on Maher’s podcast House of Maher, Bersten revealed he wanted to be partnered with Maher for the season from the start, saying, “I was hoping it was her [...] I had already seen her in the Olympics, and I was like, ‘She’s got a lot of impact, she’s funny, if I’m going to spend five hours with someone every day, I want to have fun.’”

The new face of Coppertone

In more exciting news, Maher has been selected as the new face of Coppertone, with the iconic sunscreen brand asking, “What do Coppertone Sport and Ilona Maher have in common? Two words: Unbeatable Performance.”

“On the rugby pitch, Ilona is the epitome of Unbeatable Performance. She’s a fierce competitor who’s at the top of her game,” the brand said of the team-up. “Coppertone Sport provides Unbeatable Performance for those who need sun protection that can keep up with them.”

4-in-1 sunscreen with the ability to “resist sweat, heat, water and UV rays” is sure to come in handy for the superstar as she continues to tackle everything life has to throw at her with humor and authenticity, forever embodying her signature catchphrase: “Beauty. Beast. Brains.”

Stay tuned for more from Maher’s 2025 SI Swimsuit feature.

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Allie Hayes
ALLIE HAYES

Allie Hayes is an experienced pop culture staff writer and editor specializing in movies, TV and celebrity news. Before joining the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit team as a Breaking/Trending News Editor, she worked at several outlets including BuzzFeed, The Daily Dot, and Newsweek. When she’s not writing for work (or writing for fun), you’ll find her curled up on the couch reading yet another romance novel, obsessively watching pro wrestling with her friends, or taking blurry photos of her two adorable cats.

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