Olivia Dunne, Anna Hall, and others gush over Ilona Maher's SI Swimsuit beach photoshoot

Olivia Dunne, Anna Hall, and others reacted as Ilona Maher gave fans a look at her second Sports Illustrated Swimsuit feature. Maher debuted in the magazine on the cover of the September 2024 digital issue.

Maher is a professional rugby player and has represented Team USA in rugby sevens at the Paris Games and helped the team win its first bronze medal.

On Monday, May 19, the American athlete posted images on Instagram from her second appearance in the SI Swimsuit issue. Maher posed in an animal-print swimsuit against a shoreline and rocky backdrop.

Adding a dash of humour, she captioned the post:

“Me to my mom: tell Dad to stay off Instagram today.”

The post attracted comments from fellow athletes. Olivia Dunne, who was also featured and photographed alongside Ilona Maher in Bermuda, commented:

‘Unreal’

Annal Hall, who made her debut in the same issue, wrote:

“yes mam🔥”

The official account of House of Maher, the podcast Ilona Maher co-hosts with her sisters Olivia and Adrianna, added:

“This needs to go in the foyer ASAP🔥”

Maher’s USA Rugby Sevens teammate, Sammy Sullivan OLY, wrote:

“Every time I think I have a favourite, a new picture DROPS.”

Olympic medallist and former USA Sevens captain Lauren Doyle commented:

"Ok with the pooka shells!!!"

Screenshot of comments (image via IG/@ilonamaher)

After DWTS, Maher returned to rugby and played for the Bristol Bears in England's Premiership Women’s Rugby League. Her recent match at Kansas City's CPKC Stadium broke the women's rugby attendance record in the US by drawing in 10,518 fans to the game.

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Ilona Maher pens a note after her second Sports Illustrated appearance

Maher has a huge social media following, which soared after the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she represented the U.S. women's rugby team.

Maher first debuted in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit digital issue in September 2024. Following her return to the magazine's 2025 edition, she posted a heartfelt message expressing gratitude on Instagram that read:

“Thank you to @si_swimsuit for once again letting me showcase my strong, powerful body and for making me feel so beautiful. For young Ilona, wearing a bikini was once unthinkable, but now I’d actually prefer to be prancing around in one. Stay sexy, folks.”

Maher is representing the USA Women’s National Rugby Team, Women’s Eagles, in the Pacific Four Series. The team faced Australia on May 17 and is preparing for their final match against New Zealand on May 24.