| Birth Date: | August 12, 1996 |
| Birth Place: | Burlington, Vermont, U.S. |
| Height: | [1] |
| Weight: | 200 lb |
| University: | Quinnipiac University |
| Position: | Center, Prop (7s) |
| Repyears1: | 2018- |
| Repsevensyears1: | 2020- |
| Medals: |
Ilona Delsing Rosa Maher (; August 12, 1996)[2] is an American rugby union player. She debuted for the United States women's national rugby union team against in 2018, and represented the United States in rugby sevens at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. As a member of US women's national rugby sevens team, she won a bronze medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.[3] [4]
Ilona Maher was born on August 12, 1996 to Michael and Mieneke Maher in Burlington, Vermont. Her mother (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. In 2018, she graduated with a degree in nursing from Quinnipiac University.[6] She also received a master's degree in business administration in 2022 from DeVry University.[7] [8]
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 soccer at Burlington High School, and was encouraged to try rugby by her father, who played for Saint Michael's College.[9] [10] Maher attended Norwich University for one year and played rugby. 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 championships of the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA). 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.[11] 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.[12]
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.[13] Maher made her debut with the USA Rugby World Cup Sevens team in 2018 at a Women's SVNS tournament in Paris.[14]
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.[15] 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]
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.[20] [21] In 2024, she was announced as a brand ambassador for Secret deodorant, as well as a new skincare brand that she co-founded, Medalist.
She is the most followed rugby player in the world on Instagram.[22]