Laila Edwards
First Black woman to play and score for U.S. senior national team.
Laila Edwards is an American professional ice hockey defender for PWHL San Jose and the United States women's national team. She made history as the first Black woman to play for the U.S. senior national team and later became the first Black gold medalist for Team USA at the Winter Olympics. Edwards has won two World Championship medals and three NCAA national titles with Wisconsin.
Quick Facts
- Born
- 25 January 2004
- Birthplace
- Cleveland Heights, Ohio, U.S.
- Position
- Defense
- Shoots
- Right
- League
- PWHL
- Team
- PWHL San Jose
- Former teams
- University of Wisconsin
Facts from the source article.
Early life
Laila Edwards grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, with her parents Charone Gray-Edwards and Robert Edwards, and siblings Robert, Chayla, Colson, and Britney Gray. She first tried figure skating at age three, then moved to ice hockey a year or two later. Her father signed her and three of her siblings up for the Cleveland Heights Youth Hockey Program. By eight years old, she was competing in AAA hockey on boys' teams like the Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks and Cleveland Barons, and also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite Girls program. At 13, she relocated to Rochester, New York, to attend Bishop Kearney High School for its top-tier girls' hockey team. During the 2021–22 season, she notched 38 goals and 59 assists for the under-19 squad. Over her high school career from 2018 to 2022, she totaled 147 goals and 266 assists across 287 games. She missed her own graduation ceremony to play in the 2022 IIHF World Women's U18 Championship.
Playing career
Edwards began her collegiate career at Wisconsin in the 2022–23 season, recording 13 goals and 14 assists in 41 games as a freshman and earning WCHA All-Rookie Team honors. She helped Wisconsin win the 2023 NCAA championship with four goals and one assist in the tournament, earning NCAA All-Tournament team selection. In her sophomore season (2023–24), she had 21 goals and 35 assists in 41 games and was named to the All-WCHA Third Team. On May 29, 2024, she received the USA Hockey Bob Allen Women's Player of the Year Award. She was named an alternate captain for the 2024–25 season. As a junior, she led the nation with 35 goals and added 36 assists in 41 games, the most goals by a Badger since Brianna Decker in 2011–12. She was named to the All-WCHA First Team and became a top-three finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award. In the 2025 NCAA semifinals, she recorded a hat-trick to send Wisconsin to the national championship game. On June 17, 2026, Edwards was selected fourth overall by PWHL San Jose in the 2026 PWHL Draft, becoming the first entry drafted player in franchise history and the highest-selected Black woman in PWHL history.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Laila Edwards born?
Laila Edwards was born on 25 January 2004 in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, U.S.
What position does Laila Edwards play?
Laila Edwards's position is listed as defense.
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