Wikipedia

Ilona Maher

Ilona Delsing Rosa Maher OLY (/ɪˈloʊnə ˈmɑːr/ il-OH-nə MAR; born August 12, 1996)[2] is an American rugby union player. As of December 2024, she has signed for Bristol Bears in the Premiership Women's Rugby league and will begin playing for them in January 2025.[3] She won bronze with the United States in rugby sevens at the 2024 Paris Olympics.[4]

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)
UniversityQuinnipiac University
Rugby union career
Position(s) Center, Prop (7s)
Current team USA Eagles
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2025– Bristol Bears 0 (0)
Correct as of 2 December 2024
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

Maher took up rugby at age 17, and went on to win three National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) championships as a college player at Quinnipiac University.[5] After debuting in 2018, she represented the United States national team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics[6] and 2024 Paris Olympics.[7] She is also known for her body positivity advocacy.[8]

Early life and education

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Ilona Delsing Rosa Maher was born on August 12, 1996, in Burlington, Vermont, to Michael and Mieneke Maher.[9][10] Her mother, a Dutch native, works as a nurse, while her father, who has Irish ancestry, is a dentist and former rugby player who previously played for Saint Michael's College.[11] Maher's older sister, Olivia, is a social media content creator who is known for coining the term "girl dinner" on TikTok.[12] Her younger sister, Adrianna, works for a nonprofit organization in New York City.[13]

Maher and her sisters started playing "high-level" sports such as field hockey, basketball and Little League softball at a young age.[10] During the spring of her senior year at Burlington High School, Maher grew tired with softball and was encouraged by her father to play rugby.[14] She attended Norwich University for one year before transferring to Quinnipiac University, where she graduated in 2018 with a bachelor's degree in nursing.[15] She later received a master's degree in business administration from DeVry University.[16][17]

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.[18] 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.[10] After transferring to Quinnipiac, Maher played center and won three National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) championships.[18] 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.[19][20][10] 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.[21]

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.[22] Maher made her debut with the USA Rugby World Cup Sevens team in 2018 at a Women's SVNS tournament in Paris.[23]

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.[18][24] 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.[25]

In 2023, she had a severe injury from a collision during a training session against a men's rugby team. She dislocated her tibia and broke her fibula. Her mother, a nurse, immediately flew out to help her through the injury. Initially, Maher was expected to be out for the rest of the 2023 season, but was able to get back in the game in time to help Team USA win gold at the Pan American Games.[26]

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.[27][28][29]

Bristol Bears

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In December 2024, she signed for Bristol Bears in Premiership Women's Rugby league in England on a three-month deal until the end of the season. Her contract officially begins in January 2025.[3] In response to unprecedented demand for tickets to see her debut against Gloucester-Hartpury, the fixture was moved from Shaftesbury Park, the regular home for the Bristol Bears Women to Ashton Gate to accommodate a larger capacity crowd.[30]

In the media

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Maher has used her social media following to advocate for body positivity and increased awareness of women's sports.[31][32] In 2024, she was announced as a brand ambassador for Secret deodorant, as well as a skincare brand that she co-founded, Medalist.[10][33] She is the most followed rugby player on Instagram.[34]

In July 2024, she threw out the first pitch at a San Diego Padres game.[26] In August 2024, she posed for the cover of the swimsuit edition of Sports Illustrated.[35] In December 2024, she made the Forbes 30 under 30 list.[36]

Dancing with the Stars

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In September 2024, Maher was announced as one of the celebrities competing on season 33 of the reality television series Dancing with the Stars, partnered with Alan Bersten.[37] She is the first rugby player to compete on the show,[38] and the first female partner in Dancing with the Stars history to lift her male partner.[39] They reached the finale and finished as the runners-up on November 26, 2024, behind The Bachelor star Joey Graziadei and his partner Jenna Johnson.[40]

Episode # Dance / Song Judges' scores Result
Inaba Hough Guest Tonioli
1 Cha-cha / "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" 6 6 6 No elimination
2 Salsa / "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" 7 7 7 Safe
3 Foxtrot / "Lady Marmalade" 8 7 81 7 No elimination
4 Jive / "Come On, Feel the Noise" 7 6 72 6 Safe
5 Rumba / "My Way" 8 8 83 8 Safe
6 Jazz / "Surface Pressure"
Team Freestyle (Team Goofs) / "I 2 I" 		9
9 		8
9 		8
9 		Safe
7 Tango / "Psycho Killer" 8 8 8 Safe
8 Quickstep / "Chuck Berry"
Instant Salsa / "Da' Dip" 		10
8 		9
8 		9
8 		Safe
9
Semi-finals 		Paso doble / "Unholy"
Viennese waltz / "Golden Hour" 		9
10 		10
9 		9
10 		No elimination
10
Finals 		Jive / "Shake a Tail Feather"
Freestyle / "Femininomenon" 		9
10 		9
10 		9
10 		Runners-up

1 Score awarded by guest judge Rosie Perez
2 Score awarded by guest judge Gene Simmons
3 Score awarded by guest judge Mark Ballas

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. ^ a b "Ilona Maher joins the PWR and signs for Bristol Bears". Bristol Bears. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
  4. ^ "Ilona Maher won a bronze medal, but that's not what earned her 4 million followers". FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. July 31, 2024. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
  5. ^ "callback". www.stamfordadvocate.com. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
  6. ^ "Ilona Maher: Ten things you should know about the USA international". Rugby World. July 30, 2024. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
  7. ^ "USA star Maher joins Bristol on three-month deal". ESPN.com. December 2, 2024. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
  8. ^ "Watch Ilona Maher Send Inspiring Message About Body Positivity to Girls and Women". Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. November 27, 2024. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
  9. ^ Walrath-Holdridge, Mary (November 19, 2024). "Who is Ilona Maher? What to know about the DWTS contestant, Olympian and social media star". USA Today. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c d e 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.
  11. ^ Schaffstall, Katherine (September 16, 2024). "Ilona Maher Family: Meet the Olympian's Parents and Sisters". Life & Style. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  12. ^ Riva, Emma (June 17, 2024). "Who Says Girl Dinner is Just for Girls?". Table Magazine. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
  13. ^ Blackwood, Emily (November 12, 2024). "All About Ilona Maher's 2 Sisters, Olivia and Adrianna (and How One Went Viral Before the Rugby Star!)". People. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  14. ^ Frye, Andy (June 7, 2023). "Is Ilona Maher Rugby's Most Exciting Player?". Forbes. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  15. ^ "Ilona Maher". Team USA. Archived from the original on February 27, 2021. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
  16. ^ Beckett, Tyson (November 15, 2022). "Ilona Maher is changing the face of rugby, and TikTok". Ensemble Magazine. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  17. ^ Omatiga, Mary (July 14, 2023). "Hometown Hopefuls: Ilona Maher on the post-Olympic blues and body image". NBC Sports. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  18. ^ 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.
  19. ^ "Ilona Maher". Quinnipiac Bobcats. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  20. ^ "Burlington's Maher named nation's top rugby player". Burlington Free Press. May 5, 2017. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  21. ^ Ydrovo, Jacqueline (June 18, 2024). "Rugby alumna named to U.S. Olympic team". Quinnipiac Today. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  22. ^ "Maher Makes Most of Young 7s Career". The Rugby Breakdown. July 21, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  23. ^ 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.
  24. ^ "How athletes from New England fared in the Tokyo Olympics: A sport-by-sport breakdown". The Boston Globe. August 9, 2021. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  25. ^ "U.S. Women Reach Rugby World Cup Sevens Semifinals After Gritty Win Over Canada". United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. September 10, 2022. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  26. ^ a b "Who is Ilona Maher? She's a role model for female athletes and USA Rugby Sevens star". Yahoo Sports. July 29, 2024. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  27. ^ Hincks, Michael; Schwager-Patel, Nischal (July 30, 2024). "Meet Ilona Maher: U.S. Women's Rugby sevens star, TikTok sensation and bronze medallist at Paris 2024 Olympics". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  28. ^ Abrami, Adam. "Bronze for Maher! Vermont native, US women's rugby sevens win historic medal in Paris". The Burlington Free Press. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  29. ^ Fryer, Jenna (August 1, 2024). "Paris Olympics sweetheart: Rugby player Ilona Maher promotes body positivity through social media". Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  30. ^ Thomas, Martyn. "Ilona Maher factor prompts Bristol into fixture change". RugbyPass. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  31. ^ Hanawalt, Zara (October 31, 2022). "Olympian Ilona Maher Is Reminding People That No Body Is Perfect". Shape. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  32. ^ 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.
  33. ^ Cusanelli, Michael (July 9, 2024). "Vermont Olympian Ilona Maher featured in latest ad for Secret Deodorant". WPTZ. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  34. ^ 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.
  35. ^ 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.
  36. ^ Birnbaum, Justin. "30 Under 30 Sports 2025: These Athletes And Executives Are Breaking Barriers". Forbes. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  37. ^ "Meet the celebrity cast of 'Dancing with the Stars' season 33". ABC News. September 4, 2024. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  38. ^ Iannella, Lilli (September 18, 2024). "Olympian and Quinnipiac grad Ilona Maher became the first rugby player on 'Dancing with the Stars' Tuesday night". CT Insider. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
  39. ^ Blackwelder, Carson (November 7, 2024). "Ilona Maher talks encouraging girls to embrace their 'powerful' self on Dancing with the Stars". Good Morning America. Retrieved November 28, 2024. She's the first female partner to lift her male partner on the show, and it's just awesome.
  40. ^ Pengelly, Martin (November 26, 2024). "Ilona Maher, US rugby Olympian, places second on Dancing with the Stars". The Guardian. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
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