Laila Edwards is set to become the first Black woman in history to play for USA’s national team.
Laila Edwards is set to make history in November when she steps on the ice for Team USA at the 2023-2024 Rivalry Series.
The 6-foot-2 forward is in her second season with the University of Wisconsin. Last year she scored 27 points in 41 games, earning WCHA All-Rookie Team honors. Prior to joining Wisconsin, Edwards was named MVP and Best Forward at the 2022 U-18 World Championships.
As Edwards told The Hockey News in a 2022 interview, the opportunity to break a barrier and become the first Black woman to play for Team USA was an important motivator.
“It motivates me even more to think about that opportunity,” she said. “Obviously I want to be a good role model for any young girl, especially people of color because they don’t have a lot of role models specific to them. It makes it a lot harder for them, which I think is a main reason why hockey remains predominantly white and not as diverse.”
“Having to possibly be the first Black woman on the national team is nice, but it’s also kind of sad if you think about it, because how long has that been around when the first person hasn’t happened yet?”
When Laila Edwards steps on the ice this November with Team USA, that question will no longer exist for future generations as Edwards will have blazed the trail for the next generation of Black women to represent USA’s women’s hockey team.
