Ilona Maher, an Olympian who has transitioned into a pop culture icon, has made a significant impact this year, winning over fans from sports, dancing, and social media.

Initially recognized for her role as a center for the U.S. national rugby sevens team—which earned a bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics—Maher has since gained widespread fame through her social media presence.

Displaying her wit alongside her athletic skills, she has built a massive following with her trendy, humorous content and her support for women athletes.

As she heads into the “Dancing With the Stars” semi-finals with dance partner Alan Bersten, Maher is aiming for another accomplishment to cap off her year.

Here’s what you need to know about Ilona Maher, the Olympic athlete and semi-finalist on “Dancing With the Stars.”

Who is Ilona Maher?

Ilona Delsing Rosa Maher is a 28-year-old American professional rugby union player. She began her rugby journey at 17 with the South Burlington School Rugby Football Club in Burlington, Vermont.

After a short time at Norwich University, she joined Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut, where she won three National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) championships, the noted MA Sorensen Award, and was named Most Outstanding Player at the NIRA Championships.

Maher graduated in 2018 with a nursing degree and later obtained a Master’s in Business Administration from DeVry University in 2022.

She was selected for the U.S. national rugby sevens team and made her debut in 2018 at a Women’s SVNS tournament in Paris. Maher attended the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo (held in 2021) and participated in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, where the U.S. Women’s Sevens team won bronze.

Ilona Maher’s rise on social media

During her first Olympics, Maher first tasted internet fame, gaining traction for her engaging social media updates. At the 2024 Olympics, she experienced a surge in popularity due to her funny posts reflecting current trends, clever comebacks to body shaming, and her commitment to body positivity and women’s sports.

One viral TikTok she posted on July 10 featured a response to a comment questioning her weight, stating, “I bet that person has a 30% BMI,” insinuating Maher was overweight.

“I think you were trying to roast me, but this is actually true. I do have a BMI of 30. Well, actually 29.3,” she humorously explained, gaining 8.4 million views with her reply.

Maher elaborated on the complexities of BMI and cited her dietitian to show why it’s not an accurate measure for athletes, concluding with: “Yes, I have a BMI of 30 and I am labeled overweight. But guess what? I’m going to the Olympics while you’re not.”

With numerous TikTok videos reaching between 1.5 to 17 million views, and a growing following of 3.1 million, Maher also shines on Instagram, boasting 4.3 million followers.

In September, she graced the cover of “Sports Illustrated” in a swimsuit, with the tagline, “Beast. Beauty. Brains.”

Since joining “Dancing With the Stars,” Maher has shifted her social media posts from Olympic Village behind-the-scenes to insights into rehearsals and performances with Bersten. Together, they have captivated audiences, with many viewers sharing that they were inspired to watch the show again after years of absence.

Ilona Maher on “Dancing With the Stars”

As of this week, Maher and Bersten have reached the semi-finals. In addition to showcasing their playful sides to earn viewer votes, the dancing couple has attracted attention for leveraging Maher’s height (5 feet 10 inches and weighing 200 pounds) to incorporate powerful lifts and athletic moves often reserved for male partners.

Maher frequently lifts Bersten effortlessly or tosses him over her shoulder, demonstrating impressive strength and skill.

The performers have wowed audiences with their skillful moves, garnering special admiration for doing it all in high heels. In addition to their dynamic flips and dips, the duo shares a strong friendship off-stage and an electric chemistry when they perform.

Maher has gained accolades not only for her progress and technique throughout the season but also for showcasing stunning costumes that highlight her strength, athleticism, beauty, and femininity.

During a particularly beloved dance for Disney night, Maher portrayed Luisa Madrigal from “Encanto,” a character known for her incredible physical strength. Dancing to the film’s song “Surface Pressure,” Maher’s performance sparked a wave of emotional responses online, with many fans saying they were moved to tears and expressing gratitude for representing little girls who aspire to be both strong and beautiful.

In another dance that ignited intense reactions, the pair performed a Halloween-themed Tango, filled with steamy and sexy moments that sent fans into a frenzy online (proceed with caution when reading the comments!). While many viewers are eager to see Maher and her partner become a real-life couple, she has reassured everyone that they are simply “besties” and “teammates.”

How to watch Ilona Maher on “Dancing With the Stars”

Season 33 of “Dancing with the Stars” is set to continue on Tuesday, Nov. 18, with its semi-final episode. New episodes air at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney+. After the live broadcasts, episodes will be available for streaming on Hulu.

Fans can cast their votes at www.dwtsvote.abc.com or via text message to 21523 during the live airing.