Rugby star Ilona Maher’s mother is Dutch, while her father has Irish ancestry.
USA Rugby star Ilona Maher has had enough of the narrative that women’s rugby has changed the game and the idea that it’s “gone soft.”
After noticing many comments claiming “game’s gone” about Women’s rugby, Maher addressed the negativity on Instagram. She said,
“I saw this a couple of times on my post with the Black Ferns, and a lot of it was from what looked like young boy rugby players, ““You say ‘game’s gone’ or that the ‘game’s gone soft’ – here’s the deal, we’re not men’s rugby, we’re different.”
Ilona Maher
Maher shared that the women’s side of the sport is taking a different approach to the gam. She added,
“In terms of the ‘game’s gone’, we’ve sold 300,000 tickets to the Women’s Rugby World Cup this year. In America, a country that historically isn’t the biggest rugby fan, we just set an attendance record with 10,500 people in the stands.”
Ilona Maher
Our Black Ferns took to the comment section to reply to Ilona. They wrote,
“Louder for those at the back 🗣️💯.”
Black Ferns
Ilona also explained how her time in New Zealand has shown a different side of rugby and the on-field rivalry vs off-field friendships. She said,
“The reason I post with the other teams and I’m not afraid to do the posts is because we know, as rugby players, that we can be the best mates off the field, but when we go on the field, we’re gonna be out there trying to play our hardest.” “It doesn’t take away from who we are. As women’s rugby players, I think what makes us so special is the personalities we have, the people that we are, like that’s how we’re growing the game.”
Ilona Maher
Ilona Maher’s Dutch-Irish Ethnicity Has Helped In Shaping Her Identity
Ilona Maher, a standout athlete on the U.S. Women’s Rugby Sevens team and a Tokyo Olympian, belongs to a diverse European heritage.
Although Ilona and her parents live in the United States, their ancestors had a deep-rooted connection with Europe.
Her father, Michael Maher, is of Irish descent. The surname “Maher” is derived from the Gaelic name “O Meachair,” which reflects an Irish lineage.
On the other hand, Ilona has Dutch roots on her mother’s side. Her mother, Mieneke Maher, is originally from the Netherlands.
Being raised in a bicultural environment has helped in shaping Ilona’s identity.
Ilona Maher’s Parents Supported Her In Achieving Her Rugby Dreams
Born on August 12, 1996, Ilona Maher was raised by her father, Michael Maher, and her mother, Mieneke Maher.
Her father, Michael, is a former rugby player who previously played for Saint Michael’s College.
Ilona’s father convinced her to try rugby when she was 17. After trying rugby in her first pickup game, she said the sport felt “like a glove; it just fit my body.”
From there, she quickly became a starter and was eventually recruited to play for Quinnipiac University.
On June 22, 2020, Ilona wished Michael a happy Father’s Day through her official Instagram handle. She wrote,
Happy Father’s Day to my favorite rugby player of all time @vtpropdad So proud I get to represent our last name and play the sport we both love. You’ve taught me so much and make me want to be the best player I can be. Thanks for driving to all those late practices and forcing me to play a sport every season. You’ve shaped me into the athlete and person I am today. Love you.
Ilona Maher
On the other hand, Ilona’s mother, Mieneke, is a registered nurse serving at the University of Vermont Medical Center.
Per her LinkedIn profile, she received her nursing degree from Castleton University.
She served as a Waitress at the Mill Tavern for three years and as a school nurse at St. Joseph School in Burlington, VT.
During the interview with ECAX, Mieneke reminisced on the years she spent watching Ilona’s games from the Burlington High School bleachers. She said,
“It’s a pain in the butt to sit on those wooden planks or on those horrible stamps and you know, have to you know, finish dinner or not, but enjoy it because before you know it, it’s done,”
Mieneke Maher
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Ilona Maher’s older sister, Olivia, is a social media content creator known for coining the term “girl dinner” on TikTok. At a young age, she and her sisters started playing “high-level” sports such as field hockey, basketball, and Little League softball.
- 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.
- Maher helped lead the United States to bronze at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, the country’s first Olympic medal in the sport.
