Laila Edwards Explained

Laila Edwards
Birth Date:25 January 2004
Birth Place:Cleveland Heights, Ohio, U.S.
Position:Forward
Shoots:Right
Height Ft:6
Height In:1
League:NCAA
Team:University of Wisconsin
Sex:f
Ntl Team:United States
Career Start:2022

Laila Edwards (born January 25, 2004) is an American college ice hockey player for the University of Wisconsin and a member of the United States women's national ice hockey team.

Early life

Edwards left her hometown of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, to attended Bishop Kearney High School in Rochester, New York, at the age of 13.[1] During the 2021–22 season, she recorded 38 goals and 59 assists for the under-19 team at Bishop Kearney. She finished her career at Bishop Kearney with 147 goals and 266 assists in 287 games from 2018 to 2022.[2] She skipped her high school graduation ceremony to compete at the 2022 IIHF World Women's U18 Championship.[3]

Playing career

Edwards began her collegiate career for Wisconsin during the 2022–23 season. During her freshman year, she recorded 13 goals and 14 assists in 41 games. Following the season she was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team. During the 2023 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey tournament, she recorded four goals and one assist to help Wisconsin win their seventh national championship. She was subsequently named to the NCAA All-Tournament team.[4]

During the 2023–24 season, in her sophomore year, she recorded 21 goals and 35 assists in 41 games.[5] Following the season she was named to the All-WCHA Third Team.[6] On May 29, 2024, she was named the recipient of the USA Hockey Bob Allen Women's Player of the Year Award.

International play

Edwards represented the United States at the 2022 IIHF World Women's U18 Championship where she was an alternate captain. She led the team in scoring, with four goals and four assists in five games and won a silver medal.[7] Following the tournament she was named the tournament's most valuable player, best forward and named to the All-Tournament team.[8]

In November 2023, she was named to the United States women's national ice hockey team for the November Rivalry Series against Canada.[9] [10] She became be the first black woman to play for the U.S. women's senior national team.[11] [12]

On March 31, 2024, she was named to the United States roster for the 2024 IIHF Women's World Championship.[13] [14] During a preliminary round game against Czechia on April 5, 2024, Edwards became the first black woman to score a goal for team USA at the IIHF World Women's Championship.[15] During the semifinals against Finland, Edwards recorded a hat-trick to help lead the United States to the gold medal game against Canada.[16] [17] She finished the tournament with six goals and two assists in seven games and won a silver medal. She was subsequently named the Tournament MVP and named to the All-Star team,[18] becoming the youngest player to be named MVP at a women's world championship.[19]

Personal life

Edwards was born to Robert Edwards and Charone Gray-Edwards. She has two brothers, Robert and Colson, and two sisters, Britney Gray and Chayla. Her sister Chayla also plays ice hockey for Wisconsin.[2]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2022–23University of WisconsinWCHA4113142710
2023–24University of WisconsinWCHA4121355612
NCAA totals8234498322

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2022United StatesU1854482
2024United StatesWC76280
Junior totals54482
Senior totals76280

Awards and honors

HonorsYear
College
WCHA All-Rookie Team2023[20]
NCAA All-Tournament Team2023[21]
All-WCHA Third Team 2024[22]
International
IIHF World Women's U18 Championship Best Forward2022
IIHF World Women's U18 Championship Most Valuable Player2022
IIHF World Women's U18 Championship Media All-Star Team2022
IIHF World Women's Championship Most Valuable Player2024
IIHF World Women's Championship Media All-Star Team2024
USA Hockey
Bob Allen Women's Player of the Year Award2024[23]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Forging Firsts: Laila Edwards . uwbadgers.com . January 30, 2024 . April 1, 2024.
  2. Web site: Laila Edwards . uwbadgers.com . April 1, 2024.
  3. Web site: Laila Edwards Embracing Opportunity To Be A Role Model . . Nicole . Haase . November 11, 2023 . April 1, 2024.
  4. Web site: Wisconsin women's hockey blanks Ohio State to win its 7th national title . . Mark . Stewart . March 20, 2023 . April 1, 2024.
  5. Web site: Skating to success: Laila Edwards shines on women’s hockey team . . Dani . Savin . March 5, 2024 . April 1, 2024.
  6. Web site: USA National Team Stars Highlight WCHA All-Star Teams . . Ian . Kennedy . February 29, 2024 . April 1, 2024.
  7. Web site: Meet Laila Edwards, the teenage phenom set to make history with Team USA . . Hailey . Salvian . November 11, 2023 . April 1, 2024.
  8. Web site: Edwards named MVP . IIHF.com . Erin . Brown . June 14, 2022 . April 1, 2024.
  9. Web site: Color of Hockey: Edwards 1st Black player for U.S. women's national team . NHL.com . William . Douglas . November 6, 2023 . April 1, 2024.
  10. Web site: Team USA’s Laila Edwards Is Set For A Historic Debut In The Women’s Hockey Rivalry Series . teamusa.com . Joanne C. . Gerstner . November 7, 2023 . April 1, 2024.
  11. Web site: Wisconsin's Laila Edwards honored to be the first Black woman on U.S. hockey team . . Mark . Stewart . November 17, 2023 . April 1, 2024.
  12. Web site: Wisconsin's Laila Edwards sees groundbreaking US team appearance as making a difference . . Todd D. . Milewski . January 20, 2024 . April 1, 2024.
  13. Web site: 2024 U.S. Women’s National Team Roster Announced . teamusa.usahockey.com . March 31, 2024 . April 1, 2024.
  14. Web site: U.S. women’s world championship roster: Kendall Coyne Schofield returns, college stars debut . . Hailey . Salvian . March 31, 2024 . April 1, 2024.
  15. Web site: Laila Edwards Becomes First Black Woman In History To Score For Team USA . . Ian . Kennedy . April 5, 2024 . April 5, 2024.
  16. Web site: Edwards leads United States to gold medal game . IIHF.com . Ameeta . Vohra . April 13, 2024 . April 13, 2024.
  17. Web site: Edwards Steals The Show As USA Prepares To Defend For Gold . . Erin . Brown . April 13, 2024 . April 13, 2024.
  18. Web site: Edwards named MVP . IIHF.com . Andrew . Podnieks . 14 April 2024 . 14 April 2024.
  19. Web site: UW's Laila Edwards earns USA Hockey Women's Player of the Year award . July 7, 2024 . . June 2, 2024.
  20. Web site: 2022-23 All-WCHA Teams Announced . wcha.com . February 23, 2023 . April 4, 2023.
  21. Web site: Lucky Seven: Badgers claim seventh National Title . uwbadgers.com . March 19, 2023 . April 1, 2024.
  22. Web site: All-WCHA award recipients announced for 2023-24 . wcha.com . February 29, 2024 . April 1, 2024.
  23. Web site: Kennedy . Ian . Laila Edwards Named USA Hockey's Women's Player of the Year . . May 29, 2024 . en . May 29, 2024.