The Group Chat: Ilona Maher, superstaher

It’s been just over a year since the Paris 2024 Olympics ended…meaning it’s been one year since Ilona Maher took the world by storm. The Team USA rugby player shot to stardom at the Games thanks to her one-of-a-kind social media presence, and since then, she’s been everywhere, from “Dancing with the Stars” to the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition to the ESPYs.

• When she’s not preparing for the upcoming Women’s Rugby World Cup (RWC), she’s working with her sisters and her agent, Rheann Engelke, to continue building her personal brand into a cultural powerhouse.

• We chatted with Engelke about Maher’s rise on and off the field and how she’s bringing rugby into the limelight with her. Let’s rucking go.

It’s been a big week for Maher: She turned 29 on Tuesday (HBD!) and is now preparing for the RWC. But Engelke pointed out that since the Olympics, every week has been a big one for the sports world’s It Girl. “There hasn’t been a moment off since Paris. We’re constantly trying to piece together how her schedule can work…we’re already roughly planned out until LA 2028.”

• Between overhauling her training to play in the RWC (a 15-player tourney, unlike the Olympics’ sevens tournament), hosting a podcast, partnering with countless brands, and maintaining her top-tier socials, Maher is beyond booked and busy.

• But all that hustle has paid off: The undisputed face of rugby in the U.S., Maher boasts a massive following of 3.6M on TikTok and 5.1M on Instagram, transcending sports thanks to her vibrant online presence.

So how does she do it? Engelke says frequency and authenticity are the keys to Maher’s social media magic, namely her ingenious TikToks. “She doesn’t do drafts, she’s all about pulling the trigger. She’s a one-take wonder. She doesn’t craft things — she just is.” Radical candor, real-time reactions, and undeniable humor…what more could you ask for?

Maher’s social media approach is emblematic of her broader personal brand, of which Engelke says there are three pillars:

• ✊ Girls’ empowerment and body positivity. Maher has made it her mission to empower girls and women struggling with body image, so she’s very vocal about her own journey.

• 🫶 Giving back. Aside from her philanthropic work like being an ambassador for ChildFund Rugby, Maher and Engelke are careful to partner with brands that align with her goals and authentic personality. As Engelke says, “We’re doing big business in what we feel is the right way. It doesn’t cost you any money to do the right thing.”

• 😂 Humor. Maher’s perhaps most well-known for, well, being hilarious. “She’s naturally funny, and we always encourage brands to let her show off her personality,” Engelke remarked. “A lot of what you see in her partnerships is her own ad-libs.” She is her, after all.

The guiding force in her brand-building? “Everything is driven by what’s authentic. She’s adamant about that,” says Engelke. “That’s a principle and standard we’ll never waver from…Everything she does comes across so powerfully because she speaks from her heart, and she has an incredible sense of self.”

By doing things her way, Maher has won the hearts of sports fans everywhere — and that’s what keeps bringing her opportunity after opportunity. The truer she is to herself, the more fans love her, growing her platform to continue bringing her unparalleled authenticity and charisma to the world.

• What’s next for Maher? Her long-term goals include using her off-field fame to reach new rugby fans, growing the game for girls and boys alike. “She loves thinking about how today’s little girls will think about rugby,” says Engelke.

• But first, she’s focused on winning — watch her compete for Team USA at the RWC starting this Friday on Paramount+ and CBS in the U.S. and TSN networks in Canada. Time to pitch it faster, run harder, and tone it all the way up.