Last week, Laila Edwards signed a three-year player agreement with PWHL San Jose, which selected her fourth overall in the 2026 PWHL Draft back in June. She hasn’t even begun her professional career, and she’s already one of the most impactful hockey players of all time.
Edwards was a standout player from the beginning, when she was growing up in the suburbs of Cleveland. She often practiced with boys hockey teams, and she made her presence known. “I think when we started playing, even as kids, she developed so much faster than like I did and a lot of the boys she was playing with,” her sister and future college teammate Chayla said, “and just like the passion was always there.”
Attending Bishop Kearney High School in Rochester, New York, Laila developed her signature style of play. She’s slow and methodical; she’s incredibly patient, but she’s thinking several steps ahead, and it helps her catch her opponent off guard. “When she was in high school,” Chayla said, “I noticed her play was going to go very far.”
After high school, she joined her sister at the University of Wisconsin. Wisconsin’s commitment to excellence was an environment in which Laila thrived. “Coach will never say, ‘go do an extra rep after practice,’” Chayla said, “but everyone is kind of on the same page where it’s like, you want to do the extra work [and] go the extra mile.”
Wisconsin is a unique environment, and students there take pride in that. Wisconsin junior Graysen Burger said the high morale, athlete involvement on campus and focus on academics make Madison a special place – especially on gameday.
“Union South and Memorial Union broadcast the games for anyone to come and experience it together,” Burger said, “as well as every bar and restaurant down State Street.”
Laila evidently embraced the triumphant culture in Madison, becoming a star almost immediately. She was named to the WCHA All-Rookie team her freshman year, and in 2024 she was named the Bob Allen Women’s Player of the Year. She was an alternate captain in 2024 and helped lead the Badgers to national championships in 2023, 2025 and 2026.
Her impact was not just felt on the ice, though. Her leadership and success helped bring more focus to women’s sports at UW. “I think they are paving the way for other women’s sports to become more visible,” Burger said. “The community definitely shows up for women’s athletics.”
Fellow UW junior Lilly Tinder added to this sentiment. “I think her accomplishments definitely benefit who belongs in women’s hockey and who’s represented,” Tinder said.
What she’s talking about is what Laila would achieve in the next chapter of her journey: representing Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics. On January 2, she became the first Black woman in US history to be named to an Olympic hockey team.
She wasted no time getting her name out there, either. During a group stage game against Canada, she added another milestone when she became the first Black woman to score a goal for Team USA in the Olympics. You can see where this is going.
She finished the Olympics with two goals and six assists in seven games and helped Team USA take home the gold medal against Canada, with a key assist on the game-tying goal to force overtime. You guessed it, she became the first Black woman to win a gold for the US Olympic hockey team.
The kicker – she was doing all of this at a new position. She had only briefly ever played defense, and switching positions for the Olympics is a daunting task for any player. “We were nervous about that,” Chayla said, “she’s finally getting her moment, but she’s playing a position she hasn’t played really.”
The challenge was once again no match for Laila’s hockey IQ and sheer passion, as she excelled on defense for the entire tournament. In fact, she signed her professional contract as a defender, making her a versatile two-way weapon that can excel on both sides.
The impact of Laila’s accomplishments was felt in Madison and all over the country.
“The best athletes are the ones that are represented the most,” Tinder said. “Now that she’s one of the best, I think it brings more diversity to women’s hockey, especially in the U.S.”
Berger echoed Tinder’s perspective. “Laila overcame a significant obstacle,” Burger said, “and demonstrated to the younger generation that anyone can achieve their goals regardless of their identity or background.”
“It’s changed all of our lives already,” Chayla said. “We saw so many stories of these little kids, especially like little black girls saying, like, I want to be like Layla. I want to play hockey now.”
Being a role model is a responsibility neither sister takes lightly. “It’s really amazing because when Layla and I were younger, we didn’t have very many people of color [as] role models,” Chayla said. “To become someone you wish you had, I think it’s a really cool opportunity in life and she’s really doing well with it.”
Laila Edwards, at only 22 years of age, has already made her mark as one of the world’s most impressive and inspirational athletes. She has shattered barriers and become a role model to young girls, especially girls of color, showing them that they can find a home in hockey.
The next chapter of her incredible story begins on Nov. 29, when she will suit up for the first time as a professional hockey player. PWHL San Jose will play the Seattle Torrent Nov. 29-30.