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Maka Unufe

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Maka Unufe
Personal information
Full nameKisi Keomaka Unufe
BornSeptember 28, 1991 (1991-09-28) (age 33)
Chula Vista, California, U.S.
Home townProvo, Utah, U.S.
Height6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight210 lb (95 kg)[1]
Rugby union career
Position(s) Center
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2011 Utah Warriors ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2022 Houston SaberCats 7 (5)
Correct as of December 21, 2021
National sevens team
Years Team Comps
2011– United States 255 (367)
Correct as of March 22, 2024[2]

Kisi Keomaka "Maka" Unufe (born September 28, 1991) is an American rugby union player. He has played over a decade with the United States national rugby sevens team.[3] He also played for the Houston SaberCats of Major League Rugby (MLR) as a center.

Early years

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Unufe is from Provo, Utah, United States.[4] Unufe previously played American football as a wide receiver at Provo High School. Unufe starred for the Utah Warriors at the Club 7s Nationals in August 2011, earning a nomination to the All-Tournament team.[5] He was then selected to play at the National All-Star Championships.[6]

Club career

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Unufe signed with the Houston SaberCats for the 2022 Major League Rugby season.[7]

U.S. national rugby sevens team

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Although only 19 years old at the time, Unufe made his international debut with the United States national team playing as a wing in the 2011 Pan American games against Chile in October 2011, scoring a try in his first game. He was the team's top try scorer at the Pan Am games with 5 tries, helping the U.S. national team win a Bronze medal.[8] Following the tournament, U.S. national team head coach Al Caravelli described Unufe as "phenomenal" and "a star in the making."[9] In recognition of Unufe's rapid rise, Rugby Mag named Unufe the 2011 Men's Breakout Player of the Year,[8] and This Is American Rugby named Unufe the 2011 Youth Player of the Year.[6] Unufe made his Sevens World Series debut at the 2012 Wellington Sevens.[10]

With the arrival of speedsters Carlin Isles and Perry Baker, Unufe was moved to center.[1] Unufe was named to World Rugby's Dream Team for the 2015 Wellington Sevens tournament, due to his "strong defensive plays and hard runs."[11] Unufe played for the U.S. at the 2016 Summer Olympics, where the U.S. finished in ninth place. Unufe was a key piece of the U.S. comeback at the 2017 USA Sevens from a 0–19 deficit against Argentina to win 21–19.[12] Unufe missed the entire 2018–19 season due to a suspension for a banned substance that had been contained in a diet supplement he had taken.

Unufe competed for the United States at the 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town.[13][14] He competed for the United States at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.[15][16]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "INJURIES BREED OPPORTUNITY AS EAGLES LIMP TO NEW ZEALAND" Archived February 2, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, Rugby Today, Pat Clifton, January 30, 2018.
  2. ^ "Maka UNUFE, Wing". its rugby. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  3. ^ "Maka Unufe - Men's Sevens". USA Rugby. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  4. ^ Donaldson, Amy (August 9, 2016). "Provo native Maka Unufe went from high school dropout to Olympian inspired by his family". Deseret News. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  5. ^ "7s Nationals All-Tournament Team". rugbymag.com. Archived from the original on October 13, 2011. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  6. ^ a b "TIAR Awards: Youth Player of the Year, Maka Unufe". This Is American Rugby. December 16, 2011. Archived from the original on May 15, 2012. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  7. ^ "Houston signs Maka Unufe, re-sign front row trio". americas rugby news. December 16, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  8. ^ a b "2011 RUGBYMag Awards!". rugbymag.com. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  9. ^ "Archived copy". utahwarriors.com. Archived from the original on February 8, 2015. Retrieved January 13, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. ^ "Full-Time Contracts Already Paying Off?". rugbymag.com. Archived from the original on May 15, 2012. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  11. ^ "Eagles Learn Vegas Draw, Unufe Makes Dream Team". This Is American Rugby. February 7, 2015. Archived from the original on August 26, 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  12. ^ "Vegas 7s Men: Comeback Propels Eagles Into Semi-finals Archived March 3, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, This Is American Rugby, March 4, 2017.
  13. ^ "USA names rosters for Sevens World Cup". Americas Rugby News. September 2, 2022. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
  14. ^ Cahill, Calder (September 1, 2022). "Men's Eagles Sevens touch down in Cape Town as Rugby World Cup Sevens roster is confirmed". eagles.rugby. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
  15. ^ "USA Men's Roster for 2024 Paris Olympic Games". Americas Rugby News. July 2, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  16. ^ Dean, Taylor (July 1, 2024). "USA Rugby Announces Men's Olympic Rugby Sevens Team for Paris". eagles.rugby. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
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