Laila Edwards will make history as the first Black-American woman to play Winter Olympic ice hockey for Team USA, following her inclusion in the 23-player roster for Milano Cortina 2026.
Back in 2023, the 21-year-old achieved an incredible feat by becoming the first Black woman to play for the United States senior women’s national hockey team, when she was selected for the November Rivalry Series against Canada.
Now, she’s making further strides and has reflected on what it means to be headed to the Winter Olympics with Team USA.
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“It still hasn’t really kicked in yet. Getting that call is like a dream come true,” said Edwards to the Associated Press.
“Always had dreams of playing in the pros, but the biggest dream was to go the Olympics, for sure.”
It has been only a few short years, but Edwards’ determination and resilience have earned her the laurels she enjoys today, and now, she is widely considered one of Team USA’s top ice hockey talents, while writing her name in history in the process.
In April 2025, she became the youngest American to win the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award at the women’s hockey world championships when she was 20 years old and helped the USA to their 11th title.
A rare two-way player who can contribute in both defence and as a forward, the 1.85m tall (6 ft) Cleveland Heights native, had made her national team debut two years prior, at just 19, becoming the first Black woman to play for the US women’s hockey team and subsequently the first Black woman to win the IIHF Women’s World Championship, according to the Olympics.
Laila Edwards is now a name the world is keeping close tabs on, knowing there’s loads of promise for her rising career.
Should she continue to tread the path she currently finds herself on, further success will be inevitable, but she’s taking it one day at a time, while certainly enjoying the moment.
