Cleveland Heights native will make history at 2026 Winter Olympics
When Laila Edwards takes the ice at the XXV Winter Olympic Games in Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy this February, the Cleveland Heights native will fulfill a dream while standing as a role model as the first Black women to skate for the U.S. Women’s Olympic hockey team. The 6’1” University of Wisconsin senior defender was named to the twenty-three-player roster on January 2, 2026.
Born on January 25, 2004 in Cleveland Heights to parents Charone Gray-Edwards and Robert Edwards, Laila was raised in Cleveland Heights along with her siblings, older brother Bobby, older sister Chayla, younger brother Colson and sister Britney Gray. Edwards started figure skating at the age of three and then switched to hockey at age five. Soon, she, along with siblings, Bobby, Chayla and Colson were all playing youth hockey within the Cleveland Heights Hockey League at the Community Center. By age eight Edwards began playing ‘AAA’ hockey, Cleveland Barons 10U (boys), Cleveland Lumberjacks 12U (boys) and Pittsburgh Pens Elite (girls). After youth hockey Edwards attended Bishop Kearney High School, and elite girls’ hockey program in Rochester, New York from 2018-2022, finishing her prep hockey career scoring 147 goals and registering 266 assists for 413 points in 287 games played.
Barely out of high school, Edwards made her international debut as a member of Team USA at the 2022 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) U18 World Championships where, as alternate team captain she helped the U.S. take home the silver medal and was named tournament MVP and IIHF Best Forward finishing the tournament with four goals and four assists.
Edwards began her collegiate career joining sister Chayla at the University of Wisconsin skating in all 41 games as a freshman during the 2022-2023 season, scoring 13 goals and registering 14 assists for 27 points culminating in the Badgers winning their seventh NCAA National Championship with Edwards being named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team. Edwards was also named to the 2023 WCHA All-Rookie Team. During her sophomore campaign (2023-2024) Edwards again appeared in all 41 games, this time scoring 21 goals and registering 35 assists for 56 points and being named to the All-WCHA Third Team. Edwards was named the USA Hockey Bob Allen Women’s Player-of-the-Year on May 29, 2024. During the 2024-2025 season Edwards was named an alternate captain and led all NCAA goal scorers with 35 and registering 36 assists for a career high 71 points. Edwards helped lead the Badgers to their eighth NCAA National Championship and was once again named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team. Edwards was an All-WCHA First Team selection and a top-three finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award awarded annually to the top women’s college hockey player in the United States. As of January 25, 2026 Edwards’ career totals at the University of Wisconsin are 77 goals and 113 assists for 190 points in 147 games played.
Laila Edwards made history Thursday, February 5, 2026 when she stepped onto the ice at Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena becoming the first Black American woman to play for the United States Women’s Olympic hockey team in Team USA's opening preliminary round game, a 5-1 victory over Czechia. Team USA would go on to shutout Finland, Switzerland and archrival Canada by identical 5-0 scores, finishing preliminary round play with a record of 4-0-0, outscoring their opponents 20-1. Edwards has started every game for Team USA and through four games she has scored one goal, added three assists for a total of four points and has logged the second most total ice time among U.S. skaters with 87:42. Edwards’ lone goal came in Team USA’s 5-0 win over Canada making her the first Black American woman to score a goal in Olympic competition.
Top-seeded Team USA opened the Medal Round on Friday, February 13, 2026 with a 6-0 quarterfinal shutout over host nation Italy. Team USA dominated the from the opening face-off, outshooting Italy 51 to 6. Edwards scored a goal and contributed an assist in helping Team USA advance to the semifinals.
Next up: #1Team USA takes on #6Sweden in a semifinal matchup on Monday, February 16 at 2:40pm (ET).
Read more: Laila Edwards' historic journey to Team USA, 2026 Olympics
