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Ilona Maher

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Ilona Maher
Headshot od Ilona Maher in her sports jersey
Full nameIlona Delsing Rosa Maher
Date of birth (1996-08-12) August 12, 1996 (age 28)
Place of birthBurlington, Vermont, U.S.
Height5 ft 10 in (178 cm)[1]
Weight198 lb (90 kg; 14 st 2 lb)
UniversityQuinnipiac University
Rugby union career
Position(s) Center, Prop (7s)
Current team USA Eagles
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2018- United States
National sevens team
Years Team Comps
2020- United States 7s
Medal record
Women's rugby sevens
Representing  United States
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Paris Team competition

Ilona Delsing Rosa Maher (/ɪˈloʊnə ˈmɑːr/ il-OH-nə MAR; August 12, 1996)[2] is an American rugby union player. She debuted for the United States women's national rugby union team against Japan in 2018, represented the United States in rugby sevens at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, and won a bronze medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris as a member of US women's national rugby sevens team.[3][4]

Early life and education

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Ilona Maher was born on August 12, 1996, to Michael and Mieneke Maher in Burlington, Vermont. Her mother (a Dutch native) is a nurse. Ilona is the middle daughter of three; her sisters are Olivia and Adrianna. Maher was encouraged to play sports from a young age, including Little League softball.[5]

Maher attended Burlington High School. Maher attended Norwich University for one year before transferring to Quinnipiac University where she graduated in 2018 with a degree in nursing.[6] She also received a master's degree in business administration in 2022 from DeVry University.[7][8]

Rugby career

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Maher began playing rugby for the South Burlington School Rugby Football Club at the age of 17. She had previously played field hockey, basketball, and softball at Burlington High School, and was encouraged to try rugby by her father, who played for Saint Michael's College.[9][10][11] Maher played rugby during her first and only year at Norwich University. She was then recruited to join the Quinnipiac Bobcats after Quinnipiac coach Becky Carlson observed her during a match between the two schools.[5] After transferring to Quinnipiac, Maher played center and won three championships of the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA).[11] She was named to the NIRA All-American team all three years, and in 2017 received the MA Sorensen Award, given to the nation's top collegiate women's rugby player.[9][12][5] She was nominated for the award again in 2018 after her senior season, and was named the Most Outstanding Player at the NIRA Championships that year.[13]

While still at Quinnipiac, Maher also played 7s for Scion Rugby Academy, where she impressed coaches Richie Walker and Emilie Bydwell, who selected her for the United States national rugby sevens team.[14] Maher made her debut with the USA Rugby World Cup Sevens team in 2018 at a Women's SVNS tournament in Paris.[15]

In 2021, Maher played rugby sevens at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. While attending the Olympics, she released several videos on TikTok that went viral.[11] She was selected again to represent the United States at the 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town.[16][17]

Maher competed in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris with the U.S. Women's Sevens team, where they took bronze.[18][19]

Personal life

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In 2022, she gave a TEDxTalk, and has used her viral status on TikTok to advocate for body positivity and increased awareness of women's sports.[18][20][21] In 2024, she was announced as a brand ambassador for Secret deodorant, as well as a skincare brand that she co-founded, Medalist.[18][5] She is the most followed rugby player on Instagram.[22]

In August 2024, she posed for the cover of the swimsuit edition of Sports Illustrated.[23] In September 2024, Maher was announced as one of the celebrities competing on season 33 of Dancing with the Stars, partnered with Alan Bersten.[24] She is the first rugby player to compete in the US show's history.

References

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  1. ^ Holohan, Meghan (July 30, 2024). "Team USA's Ilona Maher roasts troll making fun of her weight: 'I'm going to the Olympics, you're not'". TODAY.com. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
  2. ^ "MAHER Ilona". Paris 2024 Olympics. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  3. ^ "Ilona Maher". USA Rugby. Archived from the original on April 30, 2021. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
  4. ^ "US women's rugby team shocks Australia for historic bronze medal". NBC Connecticut. July 30, 2024. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d Goldstein, Steve (May 29, 2024). "Burlington-Born Rugby Player and Social Media Influencer Ilona Maher Is Headed Back to the Olympics". Seven Days. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  6. ^ "Ilona Maher". Team USA. Archived from the original on February 27, 2021. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
  7. ^ Beckett, Tyson (November 15, 2022). "Ilona Maher is changing the face of rugby, and TikTok". Ensemble Magazine. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  8. ^ Omatiga, Mary (July 14, 2023). "Hometown Hopefuls: Ilona Maher on the post-Olympic blues and body image". NBC Sports. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  9. ^ a b "32 Ilona Maher". Quinnipiac University.
  10. ^ Frye, Andy (June 7, 2023). "Is Ilona Maher Rugby's Most Exciting Player?". Forbes. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  11. ^ a b c Hassan, Adeel (July 29, 2021). "Ilona Maher is a breakout rugby star before even playing her first match". The New York Times. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
  12. ^ "Burlington's Maher named nation's top rugby player". Burlington Free Press. May 5, 2017. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  13. ^ Ydrovo, Jacqueline (June 18, 2024). "Rugby alumna named to U.S. Olympic team". Quinnipiac Today. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  14. ^ "Maher Makes Most of Young 7s Career". The Rugby Breakdown. July 21, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  15. ^ Connell, Jordan (April 29, 2024). "Rugby sevens player Ilona Maher is vying for a medal in Paris". WATE 6 On Your Side. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  16. ^ "USA names rosters for Sevens World Cup". Americas Rugby News. September 2, 2022. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
  17. ^ Cahill, Calder (September 1, 2022). "Women's Eagles Sevens target podium chase as roster is named for the Rugby World Cup Sevens". eagles.rugby. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
  18. ^ a b c Frye, Andy (June 16, 2024). "Ilona Maher And USA Rugby Want To Wow Olympic Sports Fans". Forbes. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  19. ^ Abrami, Alex (July 30, 2024). "Bronze for Maher! Vermont native, US women's rugby sevens win historic medal in Paris". Burlington Free Press. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  20. ^ Hanawalt, Zara (October 31, 2022). "Olympian Ilona Maher Is Reminding People That No Body Is Perfect". Shape. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  21. ^ Etienne, Vanessa (January 4, 2024). "Olympic Rugby Player Ilona Maher Is 'Rockin Her Cellulite' in Game Photo: 'It Is Completely Normal'". People. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  22. ^ Coetzee, Dylan (July 29, 2024). "USA's Ilona Maher surpasses Siya Kolisi as the most followed active rugby player on Instagram". Planet Rugby. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
  23. ^ Najib, Shafiq (August 29, 2024). "Rugby star Ilona Maher makes her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit debut". ABC News. Archived from the original on September 1, 2024. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  24. ^ "Meet the celebrity cast of 'Dancing with the Stars' season 33". ABC News. September 4, 2024. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
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