Just a little over a month after her viral 2025 ESPY moment with UConn Huskies star Azzi Fudd, American rugby union player Ilona Maher has turned heads once again. This time, it was in the form of another photo shooter for Sports Illustrated Swimwear, as she was posted by the outlet’s Instagram account on Monday, Aug. 25, for another series of trendy photos.
Maher is then first seen rocking a brown and black zebra print two-piece bikini that wraps around her torso while overlooking the water in a sunny snap. This is then followed by Maher on a red scooter with a snakeskin one-piece bikini and bright red sneakers as she looks over the camera. The third photo sees Maher striking a pose with another white snakeskin bikini, this time as a two-piece, overlooking the waters once again.
The final snap sees Maher back in the same zebra print bikini, but this time showing her back off in the water itself. For a rugby player that has made herself into a star off of the pitch, many are applauding Maher for another round of swimsuit photos with Sports Illustrated as she has had some already previously such as in August of last year that is pinned on her Instagram account.
“The G10 snaps wiv @ilonamaher x @si_swimsuit big up the crew @mj_day @sevaneveritt @margotzamet @jodieboland @brianbuenaventura_ @cindiblairproductions #benwatts #scrapbooking #womensrugby #usa,” @si_swimsuit on Instagram captioned.
– @si_swimsuit on Instagram, August 25, 2025
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The 29-year-old Maher currently has 5.2 million followers on her Instagram account, followed by 3.6 million followers on her TikTok. As she has continued to become the premier star in both American and international women’s rugby, reports have since surfaced of Maher possibly pursuing a WWE or Hollywood career shortly after her tenure with her main sport concludes.
Ilona Maher and Azzi Fudd went viral during the 2025 ESPYs
The aforementioned moment that is being referenced with Ilona Maher and UConn Huskies guard Azzi Fudd is when the two took a photo together during the 2025 ESPY’s that immediately went viral. Maher posted a snap of her Fudd flexing their biceps on her Instagram story, with the former going for a flex down in her black dress while the latter was flexing up in her pastel purple dress.
Maher was then awarded the ‘2025 Best Breakthrough Athlete’ award during the night with Fudd in attendance. Fudd is now entering her fifth and final year with coach Geno Auriemma’s UConn Huskies in the upcoming 2025-26 season after she helped her team win the 2025 national championship after beating the 2024 defending national champions South Carolina Gamecocks in this year’s NCAA title game by 23 points, 82-59.
Read More: Azzi Fudd Reflects on Starting a New Season Without Girlfriend Paige Bueckers
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