Ilona Maher featured as Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover model, magazine announces [Video]

IT’S BEEN A WHIRLWIND LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR BURLINGTON NATIVE ILONA MAHER….. BUT NOW THE RUGBY STAR IS BACK HOME READY TO EMBRACE SOME MUCH DESERVED REST. WELCOME INTO THE N-B-C FIVE SPORTS DESK. I’M NOAH CIERZAN. THE BURLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE HELPED THE U-S WIN ITS FIRST EVER MEDAL IN RUGBY SEVENS WITH A THRILLING VICTORY OVER AUSTRALIA… AND SHE’S CONTINUING THE CELEBRATION OF THE HISTORIC WIN. TODAY… THE BURLINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT GIFTED MAHER THE KEYS TO THE B-H-S FIELDS <“I ALWAYS SAY IT’S SO MUCH EASIER TO BE YOURSELF THAN ANYBODY ELSE.”> THAT’S THE MESSAGE THAT’S RESONATED WITH PEOPLE ACROSS THE U-S…. AS WELL AS IN THE GREEN MOUNTAIN STATE. HUNDREDS COMING OUT TO MEET MAHER… AND THE BRONZE MEDALIST DIDN’T LEAVE UNTIL EVERYONE WHO WANTED A PICTURE… OR AUTOGRAPH GOT ONE. MAHER IS NOW TAKING SOME T-L- C… BUT SHE’S EXPECTING TO KEEP BUSY WITH A …