Vermont's Olympic rugby star Ilona Maher is catching attention online. See why

A Vermont native on the U.S. Olympic women's rugby team is catching attention for promoting body positivity and women's health online.

Ilona Maher, a 27-year-old from Burlington, Vermont, is set to compete in this year's Olympic games in Paris as a member of the women's rugby sevens team.

Maher is featured as one of the Paris games' brightest stars in the latest issue of Women's Health magazine, where she opened up about her journey with the sport and her presence on social media.

More:Vermont Olympian Ilona Maher is a role model for female athletes

“The social media stuff started organically. I was at a tournament in Spain in 2021, quarantined in a hotel. My best friend and I made a TikTok in our U.S. rugby gear, and I started to see a response to it. So for three days, I pumped out content," said in the interview with Women's Health. "I got 5,000 followers. At the tournament, some guy was like, ‘You’re the TikTok girl.’ You start to realize how powerful it can be. At the Olympics that year, I used TikTok to get our sport out there, and I want other girls to get into rugby. I knew I had something different, being very candid and authentic, which a lot of athletes have trouble with. They’re told to focus on their sport and not post on social media. They have to be grinding. I feel like I can do both.”

Who is Ilona Maher? What to know about her career

Ilona Maher is a rugby player for the U.S. women's national team. She has played for the team since 2018.

Maher has roots in New England; she's a native of Burlington, Vermont, and a graduate of Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut, where she also played rugby.

The 27-year-old previously competed in the 2020 Olympics, where her team placed sixth.

Ilona Maher's social media presence

During the 2020 Olympics, Maher began a social media presence that has since grown to over two million followers across Instagram and TikTok.

She often shares about her experiences as a professional athlete. She also frequently shares messages about the importance of body positivity and wellness.

In an interview with Women's Health, Maher said she promotes positive messages and body types so her followers know the value of being yourself.

“It’s important for girls to see me out there showing that with this frame, with my broad shoulders, being big can be beautiful, and it doesn’t take away from your femininity," Maher said. "That’s why I wear red lipstick when I play. I don’t want to put female athletes in a box. I'm a beast on the field, I'm beautiful and I'm smart. I'm not just one thing. It takes strength to be yourself."

When does Ilona Maher and the U.S. women's rugby team compete in the Olympics?

Women's rugby sevens begins pool play on July 28. Here's the U.S. team's schedule:

July 28

• vs. Japan at 10:30 a.m. EST
• vs. Brazil at 2 p.m. EST.

July 29

• vs. France at 9:30 a.m. EST

The events will be available to watch on NBC or streaming on Peacock.