• Source: Ilona Maher

Ilona Delsing Rosa Maher ( il-OH-nə MAR; August 12, 1996) is an American rugby union player. She won bronze with the United States in rugby sevens at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Maher took up rugby at age 17 before becoming a decorated college player at Quinnipiac University. After debuting in 2018, she represented the United States national team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and 2024 Paris Olympics. She is also known for her body positivity advocacy.




Early life and education


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.
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. She also received a master's degree in business administration in 2022 from DeVry University.




Rugby career


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. 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. After transferring to Quinnipiac, Maher played center and won three National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) championships. She was named to the NIRA All-American team all three years and received the MA Sorensen Award, given to the nation's top collegiate women's rugby player, in 2017. She was nominated for the award again after her senior season in 2018 and was named the Most Outstanding Player at the NIRA Championships that year.
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 national rugby sevens team. Maher made her debut with the USA Rugby World Cup Sevens team in 2018 at a Women's SVNS tournament in Paris.
Maher was chosen to her first Olympic team at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which was the sport's second appearance at the games. She scored three tries throughout the tournament as the United States finished in sixth place. While attending the Olympics, she posted several behind-the-scenes videos that went viral on TikTok. She was selected again to represent the United States at the 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town, where she helped the national team reach the semifinals.
Maher helped lead the United States to bronze at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, the country's first Olympic medal in the sport. She scored tries in all three of their group stage matches. After being eliminated by gold medalists New Zealand in the semifinals, the United States narrowly defeated Australia in the bronze medal match.




Personal life


Maher has used her social media following to advocate for body positivity and increased awareness of women's sports. In 2024, she was announced as a brand ambassador for Secret deodorant, as well as a skincare brand that she co-founded, Medalist. She is the most followed rugby player on Instagram.
In August 2024, she posed for the cover of the swimsuit edition of Sports Illustrated. In September 2024, Maher was announced as one of the celebrities competing on season 33 of Dancing with the Stars, partnered with Alan Bersten. She is the first rugby player to compete in the US show's history.




References






External links



Ilona Maher at the World Rugby Women's Sevens Series (archived)
Ilona Maher at USA Rugby (archive July 7, 2022)
Ilona Maher at Team USA (archive April 9, 2023)
Ilona Maher at Olympedia
Ilona Maher at Olympics.com

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Rugbi tujuh pada Olimpiade Musim Panas 2024
• Daftar dukungan kampanye presiden Kamala Harris 2024
• Miss Grand International 2020
• Ilona Maher
• Dancing with the Stars (American TV series) season 33
• Ilona
• Rylee Arnold
• Maye Musk
• Olivia Culpo
• Brooks Nader
• Stephen Nedoroscik
• List of people from Burlington, Vermont
• Daniella Karagach