Anthony Maher (soccer)

Amateur

He started playing soccer in Cape May County, New Jersey as a member of the Cape Express Soccer Club. He played high school soccer at Middle Township High School in New Jersey.

College

Maher attended Mercyhurst College on an athletic scholarship. He was a 2001 NSCAA First Team All-American. He was additionally, a four-time All-GLIAC selection including Time Conference Player of the Year and All Time Goal Scorer in college history. He was captain of the team and led Mercyhurst to two Division II NSCAA Final Fours. While in college was a member of the USL Premier Development League (PDL) with the West Michigan Edge and set franchise records for goals (14) and points (34 points) and was named to the 2001 All PDL team. Maher was then 1 of 2 Division II players asked to take part in the UMBRO Senior Classic MLS Combine.

Professional career

Anthony Maher started his professional soccer career with the Wilmington Hammerheads of the USL Second Division in 2002. He was the Hammerhead's team MVP and an All League selection his rookie season, leading the team to the National Championship Game. That fall, Maher joined the Cleveland Force of Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL). He was the 'Team Rookie of the Year' and to the selected to the All League Rookie First Team. In 2003, the Force traded Maher to the Kansas City Comets in exchange for Nick Corneli. Maher was named the Comets' "Newcomer of the Year" producing 28 goals and 10 assists. He followed that with 20 goals and 5 assists in only 14 games his second season with the Comets before tearing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The Comets folded at the end of the 2004–2005 season and Maher signed with the Milwaukee Wave United of the USL A-League, playing one season with them. He then signed with the California Cougars of MISL in the fall of 2005. He played only seven games with the Cougars before being traded to the Chicago Storm in exchange for John Ball. Maher finished the season, playing fifteen games in Chicago. In 2006, Maher signed with the outdoor Syracuse Salty Dogs where he was the Teams's Offensive Player of the Year and the Army Man of the Year for high work rate. The Salty Dogs folded at the end of the season and Maher moved to the Rochester Raging Rhinos. However, he never played for Rochester due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament. On October 17, 2006, the Storm traded Maher and Tijani Ayegbusi to the Milwaukee Wave for Randy Soderman and Alen Osmanovic. In 2007, Maher signed with the Carolina RailHawks of the USL First Division, where he scored the team's only goal in the semifinal loss to the New England Revolution in the 2007 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. In 2008, Maher joined the Philadelphia KiXX where he played for two seasons. He then moved to the Chicago Riot where he began the 2010–2011 season. In March 2011, the Riot sent Maher to the Missouri Comets. Maher signed for the Major Indoor Soccer League club, the Syracuse Silver Knights at the end of 2011, at the halfway point of the season.

Personal

Maher is a spokesperson for Athletes in Action as well as sponsored nationally by Powerbar as a 2008 and 2009 TEAM ELITE MEMBER. He founded the Maher Brother's Pro Touch Soccer Camps that run camp programs in southern New Jersey and is also the founder of King of the Court-Official Soccer Tennis Tournament. Maher has also been nominated for 2008 induction into South Jersey Soccer Hall of Fame and is married to Wayne State College Women's Soccer player Anne Marie Collins.

His brother, Matthew Maher also plays for the Philadelphia KiXX in the NISL and had also played alongside Anthony with the RailHawks during the 2007 season. Anthony and Matt were the first brothers to play against each other in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.