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Maka Unufe

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Maka Unufe
Personal information
Full nameKisi Keomaka Unufe
BornSeptember 28, 1991 (1991-09-28) (age 33)
Chula Vista, California, U.S.
Home townProvo, Utah, U.S.
Height6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight210 lb (95 kg)[1]
Rugby union career
Position(s) Center
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2011 Utah Warriors ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2022 Houston SaberCats 7 (5)
Correct as of December 21, 2021
National sevens team
Years Team Comps
2011– United States 255 (367)
Correct as of March 22, 2024[2]

Kisi Keomaka "Maka" Unufe (born September 28, 1991) is an American rugby union player. He has played over a decade with the United States national rugby sevens team.[3] He also played for the Houston SaberCats of Major League Rugby (MLR) as a center.

Early years

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Unufe is from Provo, Utah, United States.[4] Unufe previously played American football as a wide receiver at Provo High School. Unufe starred for the Utah Warriors at the Club 7s Nationals in August 2011, earning a nomination to the All-Tournament team.[5] He was then selected to play at the National All-Star Championships.[6]

Club career

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Unufe signed with the Houston SaberCats for the 2022 Major League Rugby season.[7]

U.S. national rugby sevens team

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Although only 19 years old at the time, Unufe made his international debut with the United States national team playing as a wing in the 2011 Pan American games against Chile in October 2011, scoring a try in his first game. He was the team's top try scorer at the Pan Am games with 5 tries, helping the U.S. national team win a Bronze medal.[8] Following the tournament, U.S. national team head coach Al Caravelli described Unufe as "phenomenal" and "a star in the making."[9] In recognition of Unufe's rapid rise, Rugby Mag named Unufe the 2011 Men's Breakout Player of the Year,[8] and This Is American Rugby named Unufe the 2011 Youth Player of the Year.[6] Unufe made his Sevens World Series debut at the 2012 Wellington Sevens.[10]

With the arrival of speedsters Carlin Isles and Perry Baker, Unufe was moved to center.[1] Unufe was named to World Rugby's Dream Team for the 2015 Wellington Sevens tournament, due to his "strong defensive plays and hard runs."[11] Unufe played for the U.S. at the 2016 Summer Olympics, where the U.S. finished in ninth place. Unufe was a key piece of the U.S. comeback at the 2017 USA Sevens from a 0–19 deficit against Argentina to win 21–19.[12] Unufe missed the entire 2018–19 season due to a suspension for a banned substance that had been contained in a diet supplement he had taken.

Unufe competed for the United States at the 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town.[13][14] He competed for the United States at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.[15][16]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "INJURIES BREED OPPORTUNITY AS EAGLES LIMP TO NEW ZEALAND" Archived February 2, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, Rugby Today, Pat Clifton, January 30, 2018.
  2. ^ "Maka UNUFE, Wing". its rugby. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  3. ^ "Maka Unufe - Men's Sevens". USA Rugby. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  4. ^ Donaldson, Amy (August 9, 2016). "Provo native Maka Unufe went from high school dropout to Olympian inspired by his family". Deseret News. Archived from the original on August 10, 2016. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  5. ^ "7s Nationals All-Tournament Team". rugbymag.com. Archived from the original on October 13, 2011. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  6. ^ a b "TIAR Awards: Youth Player of the Year, Maka Unufe". This Is American Rugby. December 16, 2011. Archived from the original on May 15, 2012. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  7. ^ "Houston signs Maka Unufe, re-sign front row trio". americas rugby news. December 16, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  8. ^ a b "2011 RUGBYMag Awards!". rugbymag.com. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  9. ^ "Archived copy". utahwarriors.com. Archived from the original on February 8, 2015. Retrieved January 13, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. ^ "Full-Time Contracts Already Paying Off?". rugbymag.com. Archived from the original on May 15, 2012. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  11. ^ "Eagles Learn Vegas Draw, Unufe Makes Dream Team". This Is American Rugby. February 7, 2015. Archived from the original on August 26, 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  12. ^ "Vegas 7s Men: Comeback Propels Eagles Into Semi-finals Archived March 3, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, This Is American Rugby, March 4, 2017.
  13. ^ "USA names rosters for Sevens World Cup". Americas Rugby News. September 2, 2022. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
  14. ^ Cahill, Calder (September 1, 2022). "Men's Eagles Sevens touch down in Cape Town as Rugby World Cup Sevens roster is confirmed". eagles.rugby. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
  15. ^ "USA Men's Roster for 2024 Paris Olympic Games". Americas Rugby News. July 2, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  16. ^ Dean, Taylor (July 1, 2024). "USA Rugby Announces Men's Olympic Rugby Sevens Team for Paris". eagles.rugby. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
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