Laila Edwards Makes History as First Black Woman on Team USA Hockey
History on ice is looking beautiful right now. Cleveland Heights, Ohio native Laila Edwards is gliding straight into the record books. At just 22 years old, she is now the first Black woman to compete for Team USA in hockey at the Olympic Games – a milestone that is already inspiring far beyond the rink.
Edwards, a standout student-athlete at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, balances elite competition with her academics while making a major shift on the ice – moving from forward to defense, a move many say marks her as the future of U.S. women’s hockey.
Her Olympic journey got an extra boost when Cleveland natives Travis and Jason Kelce stepped in to help make sure her family could travel to Milan Cortina to see her compete in person – a gesture she says shows who they really are off the field.
Edwards says representation means everything, knowing that her presence on this stage could open the door for another young girl who has never seen herself in the sport before. From the ice to the world stage, Laila Edwards is skating with purpose, poise, and promise.
