USA Rugby Star Ilona Maher Gets Her Own Barbie Doll

It’s been a whirlwind for Ilona Maher ever since the conclusion of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The USA Rugby star, who helped her country medal in Olympic rugby for the first time ever at last summer’s games, ascended from a favorite among rugby diehards to a social media personality and reality television star, as well as a celebrity within the last 15 months.

Right after winning bronze with the USA Women’s Rugby 7s team, Maher participated as a contestant on ABC’s Dancing With The Stars, coming in as the 33rd season’s runner-up. Her appearance each week on DWTS exposed Maher to a much wider American audience outside sports, making her a household name. But Maher’s rise to fame didn’t stop there.

This past summer, Maher was tapped by Sports Illustrated to be one of the athletes featured in SI’s 2025 Swimsuit Edition. She also made the rounds elsewhere in media, being booked for an interview with CBS Mornings, reading fun tweets for Buzzfeed, and a fun sit-down on Peacock with comedians Kevin Hart and Keenan Thompson.

Some might say the big buzz first started right after the Olympics, when she appeared as a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers just hours after returning from France in August, following the closing ceremony.

Now, in celebration of International Day of the Girl on Saturday, October 11, Maher has teamed up with Mattel and Barbie to champion girls’ confidence and inspire the next generation to get in the game. As such, Barbie has created a one-of-a-kind doll in Maher’s likeness, featuring her dressed in rugby gear.

“When I first heard I was going to get a Barbie, I was so excited because Barbie has been something I’ve played with since I was a little girl,” Maher said during our recent interview over Zoom.

In speaking about the collaboration with Barbie, Maher explained that authenticity was extremely important to her, as well as having a true representation of her not only as a woman but as an athlete.

“I think the big thing was, and it was very collaborative with Barbie,” Maher said. “I wanted to see myself in the doll, not just the quintessential doll that you see. I wanted to see my broad shoulders and see my muscles. And so they went in and created something perfect, with broad shoulders, big arms, and muscles.”

The 29-year-old Vermont native played rugby at the college level as a center, and later in the prop position in Rugby 7s, before ascending to the USA’s national team. Currently, Maher plays professionally in the U.K. for the Bristol Bears. Maher’s social media following has grown astronomically since the Olympics, with her Instagram following increasing from half a million followers to 5.2 million.

VIDEO: Ilona Maher wins ESPY for Best Breakthrough Athlete

Maher has also appeared in commercials and secured sponsorship deals for notable brands such as Maybelline, Panera, Barilla, Secret, Coppertone, and skin care brands Paula’s Choice and Medalist. Maher also has a multi-year endorsement deal with Adidas.

Mattel’s goal is not just to sell dolls, but also to promote girls’ participation in sports and body positivity. As part of the overall effort, the women of Team Barbie aim to showcase their own abilities as rugby athletes and encourage girls and young women to take up sports and other challenging endeavors.

Krista Berger, Senior Vice President of Barbie, Mattel, weighed in on the new Team Barbie campaign.

“We’re committed to breaking down the barriers, from gender stereotypes to self-
doubt, that hold girls back from realizing their limitless potential,” Berger said. “By showcasing the stories of incredible role models whose confidence has fueled groundbreaking success, we’re showing girls that the future of sports – or wherever their passion takes them – is theirs to claim, with Team Barbie cheering them on.”

Also on Team Barbie’s rugby roster are dolls made in the likenessed of other top players, including England’s Ellie Kildunne, New Zealand’s Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, and Nassira Konde of France.

Mattel and Barbie conducted a research project on girls and sports. Their research, conducted among 3,400 survey participants, found that one in three girls disengages from sports by age 14, primarily due to concerns about body confidence, self-doubt, and a lack of visible female role models. Meanwhile, the research found that 81% of parents believe sports can help their daughters achieve their future goals.

One of Maher’s long-term personal goals is to see the sport of rugby, especially the women’s game, flourish in the United States and beyond.

“I love that girls from all over can see me (play rugby) and see themselves in me. And I don’t think I’m being boastful because I’ve had so many girls come up to me and say that say, ‘you know what you’ve done for me? You’ve made me want to play rugby.’”

However, Maher does not mind if her off-the-field activities, such as Dancing With the Stars, help people recognize and know her, and, in turn, eventually lead girls and young women to sports.

“Through Dancing With The Stars, I got to be graceful and elegant on a show that’s reached all of America and Canada. And (those fans) are now fans of mine. I wouldn’t have reached that, just being an athlete.”

Read Frye’s recent interviews with Madison Keys and Megan Rapinoe.

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