{{short description|American ice hockey player (born 2004)}} {{Use American English|date=February 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox ice hockey player | name = Laila Edwards | image = Laila Edwards (cropped).jpg | alt = | caption = Edwards playing for the Wisconsin Badgers in 2024 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2004|1|25}} | birth_place = Cleveland Heights, Ohio, U.S. | position = Defense | shoots = Right | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 1 | weight_lb = | league = NCAA | team = University of Wisconsin | sex = f | ntl_team = United States | career_start = 2022 | medaltemplates = {{MedalOlympic}} {{MedalGold|2026 Milano Cortina|Team}} {{MedalCompetition|World Championship}} {{MedalGold|2025 United States|}} {{MedalSilver|2024 United States|}} {{MedalCompetition|World U18 Championship}} {{MedalSilver|2022 United States|}} }} '''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. She has won two World Championship medals, including gold at the 2025 World Championship and silver at the 2024 World Championship, where she was named Tournament MVP at age 20, becoming the youngest player to receive the honor. Edwards made history in 2023 as the first Black woman to play for the U.S. women's senior national team. She is also the first Black woman to score a goal for Team USA at the 2024 World Championships and at the 2026 Winter Olympics, where she also became the first Black woman on a USA team to receive a gold medal in hockey.
At the collegiate level, Edwards has won three NCAA national championships with Wisconsin (2023, 2025, 2026). She was a Patty Kazmaier Award top-three finalist in 2025 and led the nation with 35 goals during her junior season. Edwards won the Bob Allen Women's Player of the Year Award in 2024.
==Early life== Born in Cleveland Heights, Ohio to Charone Gray-Edwards and Robert Edwards,<ref name="TeamUSA">{{cite web |url=https://www.teamusa.com/profiles/laila-edwards |title=Laila Edwards |website=Team USA |access-date=January 2, 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcolympics.com/news/laila-edwards-meet-athlete |title=Laila Edwards Bio: Career timeline, Olympic medals, Road to 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics |website=NBC Olympics |date=December 11, 2025 |access-date=January 2, 2026}}</ref> Laila was raised in Cleveland Heights with her siblings: older brother Robert (Bobby), older sister Chayla, younger brother Colson, and sister Britney Gray.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wkyc.com/article/sports/hockey/laila-edwards-team-usa-hockey-cleveland-roots-figure-skating/95-c926d75b-da1a-40fd-808a-6b517f834d77 |title=Laila Edwards on her Cleveland Heights roots, figure skating start, rise to Team USA hockey: New extended interview |website=WKYC |access-date=January 2, 2026}}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{cite web |url=https://heightsobserver.org/read/2016/02/23/edwards-sisters-hope-to-play-hockey-internationally |title=Edwards sisters hope to play hockey internationally |website=The Heights Observer |date=February 23, 2016 |access-date=January 2, 2026}}</ref>
Edwards began figure skating at age three before switching to ice hockey at age four or five.<ref name="TeamUSA" /> Her father enrolled her and three of her siblings in the Cleveland Heights Youth Hockey Program.<ref name="TeamUSA" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://andscape.com/features/forward-laila-edwards-makes-history-with-team-usa-womens-hockey/ |title=Forward Laila Edwards makes history with Team USA women's hockey |website=Andscape |date=November 27, 2023 |access-date=January 2, 2026}}</ref> By age eight, she was traveling to out-of-state tournaments and played AAA hockey with boys' teams, including the Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks and Cleveland Barons.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/community/heartstrings/usa-hockey-laila-edwards-inspires-on-and-off-the-ice/95-4e3590fb-d1ef-4495-8f3f-ecd9839425df |title=USA Hockey's Laila Edwards inspires on and off the ice |website=WKYC |date=November 27, 2023 |access-date=January 2, 2026}}</ref><ref name="auto1"/> She also participated in the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite Girls hockey program.<ref name="auto1"/>
Edwards left Cleveland Heights at age 13 to attend Bishop Kearney High School in Rochester, New York, for its elite girls' hockey program.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://uwbadgers.com/news/2024/1/30/general-news-forging-firsts-laila-edwards.aspx |title=Forging Firsts: Laila Edwards |website=uwbadgers.com |date=January 30, 2024 |access-date=April 1, 2024}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Bio">{{cite web|url=https://uwbadgers.com/sports/womens-ice-hockey/roster/laila-edwards/12227 |title=Laila Edwards |website=uwbadgers.com |access-date=April 1, 2024}}</ref> She skipped her high school graduation ceremony to compete at the 2022 IIHF World Women's U18 Championship.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://teamusa.usahockey.com/news_article/show/1291039 |title=Laila Edwards Embracing Opportunity To Be A Role Model |publisher=USA Hockey |first=Nicole |last=Haase |date=November 11, 2023 |access-date=April 1, 2024}}</ref>
==Playing career== thumb|left|200px|Edwards (lower left) celebrates with Wisconsin Badgers teammates after winning 2024 NCAA DI tournament quarterfinals 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2023/03/19/wisconsin-womens-hockey-shuts-out-ohio-state-win-7th-national-title/70025983007/ |title=Wisconsin women's hockey blanks Ohio State to win its 7th national title |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |first=Mark |last=Stewart |date=March 20, 2023 |access-date=April 1, 2024}}</ref>
During the 2023–24 season, in her sophomore year, she recorded 21 goals and 35 assists in 41 games.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://badgerherald.com/sports/womens-hockey/2024/03/05/skating-to-success-laila-edwards-shines-on-womens-hockey-team/ |title=Skating to success: Laila Edwards shines on women's hockey team |newspaper=The Badger Herald |first=Dani |last=Savin |date=March 5, 2024 |access-date=April 1, 2024}}</ref> Following the season, she was named to the All-WCHA Third Team.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehockeynews.com/womens/college/usa-national-team-stars-highlight-wcha-all-star-teams |title=USA National Team Stars Highlight WCHA All-Star Teams |publisher=The Hockey News |first=Ian |last=Kennedy |date=February 29, 2024 |access-date=April 1, 2024}}</ref> On May 29, 2024, she was named the recipient of the USA Hockey Bob Allen Women's Player of the Year Award.<ref name="2024 bob allen award" />
On September 18, 2024, she was named an alternate captain for the 2024–25 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://uwbadgers.com/news/2024/9/18/womens-hockey-harvey-o-brien-named-captains-for-badgers.aspx |title=Harvey, O'Brien named captains for Badgers |website=uwbadgers.com |date=September 18, 2024 |access-date=September 18, 2024}}</ref> In her junior year, she recorded 35 goals and 36 assists in 41 games. Her 35 goals led the nation and were the most by a Badgers player since Brianna Decker recorded 37 goals during the 2011–12 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://uwbadgers.com/news/2025/3/23/womens-hockey-sensational-simms-junior-leads-comeback-to-lift-uw-to-eighth-ncaa-title.aspx |title=Sensational Simms: Junior leads comeback to lift UW to eighth NCAA title |website=uwbadgers.com |date=March 23, 2025 |access-date=March 23, 2025}}</ref> Following the season she was named to the All-WCHA First Team and a top-three finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pattykaz.com/news_article/show/1333920 |title=Edwards, Harvey, O'Brien Named 2025 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Top-Three Finalists |website=pattykaz.com |date=March 12, 2025 |access-date=March 12, 2025}}</ref> During the semifinals of the 2025 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey tournament, she recorded a hat-trick to help Wisconsin advance to the national championship game for the third consecutive season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://uwbadgers.com/news/2025/3/21/womens-hockey-championship-bound-badgers-take-down-golden-gophers-6-2.aspx |title=Championship bound: Badgers take down Golden Gophers 6-2 |website=uwbadgers.com |date=March 21, 2025 |access-date=March 21, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2025/03/21/wisconsin-womens-hockey-vs-minnesota-live-updates-in-ncaa-frozen-four/82564002007/ |title=Wisconsin knocks off Minnesota again, sets up women's hockey championship rematch with Ohio State |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |first=Dave |last=Kallmann |date=March 22, 2025 |access-date=March 22, 2025}}</ref>
==International play== ===Junior=== 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5045886/2023/11/11/laila-edwards-usa-hockey-debut/ |title=Meet Laila Edwards, the teenage phenom set to make history with Team USA |publisher=The Athletic |first=Hailey |last=Salvian |date=November 11, 2023 |access-date=April 1, 2024}}</ref> Following the tournament she was named the tournament's most valuable player, best forward and named to the All-Tournament team.<ref name="2022U18">{{cite web|url=https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2022/ww18/news/37081/edwards_named_mvp |title=Edwards named MVP |website=IIHF.com |first=Erin |last=Brown |date=June 14, 2022 |access-date=April 1, 2024}}</ref>
===Senior=== {{External media|video1=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMupq46_WZY Laila Edwards: The first Black woman to play for the U.S. national hockey team, ''TSN'']}} In November 2023, Edwards was named to the United States women's national ice hockey team for the November Rivalry Series against Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/laila-edwards-to-make-history-for-us-women-s-national-team |title=Color of Hockey: Edwards 1st Black player for U.S. women's national team |website=NHL.com |first=William |last=Douglas |date=November 6, 2023 |access-date=April 1, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.teamusa.com/news/2023/november/08/team-usas-laila-edwards-is-set-for-a-historic-debut-in-the-women-s-hockey-rivalry-series |title=Team USA's Laila Edwards Is Set For A Historic Debut In The Women's Hockey Rivalry Series |website=teamusa.com |first=Joanne C. |last=Gerstner |date=November 7, 2023 |access-date=April 1, 2024}}</ref> She was the first Black woman to play for the U.S. women's senior national team.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2023/11/17/wisconsins-laila-edwards-is-first-black-woman-on-u-s-hockey-team/71603328007/ |title=Wisconsin's Laila Edwards honored to be the first Black woman on U.S. hockey team |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |first=Mark |last=Stewart |date=November 17, 2023 |access-date=April 1, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://madison.com/sports/college/hockey/laila-edwards-usa-hockey-groundbreaker/article_dc40c24a-b2df-504a-b38f-c07397ad58e8.html?mode=nowapp |title=Wisconsin's Laila Edwards sees groundbreaking US team appearance as making a difference |newspaper=Wisconsin State Journal |first=Todd D. |last=Milewski |date=January 20, 2024 |access-date=April 1, 2024}}</ref>
====World Championships==== {{External media|video1=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0ZRi56zQlU Laila Edwards Hat Trick Lifts Team USA over Finland in 2024 Women's Worlds Semifinal, ''USA Hockey'' ]}} On March 31, 2024, Edwards was named to the United States roster for the 2024 IIHF Women's World Championship and was the first Black woman to play for the United States at the IIHF World Women's Championship.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://teamusa.usahockey.com/news_article/show/1305641-2024-u-s-women-s-national-team-roster-announced |title=2024 U.S. Women's National Team Roster Announced |website=teamusa.usahockey.com | date=March 31, 2024 |access-date=April 1, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5381075/2024/03/31/us-womens-worlds-roster-kendall-coyne-schofield/ |title=U.S. women's world championship roster: Kendall Coyne Schofield returns, college stars debut |publisher=The Athletic |first=Hailey |last=Salvian |date=March 31, 2024 |access-date=April 1, 2024}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://thehockeynews.com/womens/international/laila-edwards-becomes-first-black-woman-in-history-to-score-for-team-usa |title=Laila Edwards Becomes First Black Woman In History To Score For Team USA |publisher=The Hockey News |first=Ian |last=Kennedy |date=April 5, 2024 |access-date=April 5, 2024}}</ref> 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.<ref name="auto"/> During the semifinals against Finland, Edwards recorded a hat-trick to help lead the United States to the gold medal game against Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2024/ww/news/59715/edwards_leads_united_states_to_gold_medal_game |title=Edwards leads United States to gold medal game |website=IIHF.com |first=Ameeta |last=Vohra |date=April 13, 2024 |access-date=April 13, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehockeynews.com/womens/international/edwards-steals-the-show-as-usa-prepares-to-defend-for-gold |title=Edwards Steals The Show As USA Prepares To Defend For Gold |publisher=The Hockey News |first=Erin |last=Brown |date=April 13, 2024 |access-date=April 13, 2024}}</ref> 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, becoming the youngest player to be named MVP at an IIHF World Women's Championship.<ref name="2024WC">{{Cite web |url=https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2024/ww/news/59743/x_named_mvp |title=Edwards named MVP |website=IIHF.com |first=Andrew |last=Podnieks |date=14 April 2024 |access-date=14 April 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://wcha.com/news/2024/6/3/uws-laila-edwards-earns-usa-hockey-womens-player-of-the-year-award.aspx |title=UW's Laila Edwards earns USA Hockey Women's Player of the Year award |website=wcha.com |date=June 2, 2024 |access-date=June 2, 2024}}</ref>
On March 5, 2025, Edwards was named to the United States roster for the 2025 IIHF Women's World Championship.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://teamusa.usahockey.com/news_article/show/1333155 |title=2025 U.S. Women's National Team Roster Unveiled |website=USA Hockey |date=March 5, 2025 |access-date=March 5, 2025}}</ref> After being told she would have a better chance at staying on the roster at defense than forward, she switched positions. During the tournament, she recorded one goal and three assists in seven games and won a gold medal.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6282294/2025/04/16/usa-womens-hockey-laila-edwards-world-championships/ |title=Why is Laila Edwards, one of the top young forwards in the world, playing defense? |work=The Athletic |first=Hailey |last=Salvian |date=April 16, 2025 |access-date=April 16, 2025}}</ref>
====Olympics==== [[File:2026-02-13 USA-Italy 14.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Edwards (center right) with her fellow teammates at the 2026 Winter Olympics]] On January 2, 2026, Edwards was named to Team USA's roster to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/47481825/us-women-hockey-roster-reworked-knight-set-5th-games |title=U.S. women's hockey roster reworked; Knight set for 5th Games |website=ESPN.com |date=January 2, 2026 |access-date=January 2, 2026}}</ref> She was the first Black woman to play hockey for team USA at the Olympics.<ref>{{cite web |title=Laila Edwards: First black woman on Team USA's Olympic hockey team |url=https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/news/ice-hockey-women-usa-laila-edwards-black-pioneer |publisher=Olympics |access-date=February 10, 2026}}</ref> During the team's last group stage game against Canada, Edwards scored the fifth goal lifting the U.S. to a 5–0 shutout against their rivals.<ref>{{cite web |title=2026 Winter Olympics: Cleveland Heights' Laila Edwards scores as Team USA routs Canada 5-0 to close out group stage |url=https://www.wkyc.com/article/sports/olympics/2026-winter-olympics-cleveland-heights-laila-edwards-team-usa-finish-group-stage-with-massive-test-against-canada-live-updates/95-ba330798-947f-47ca-8219-e5ba08ddd67b |publisher=WKYC |access-date=February 10, 2026}}</ref> During the quarterfinal game, Edwards registered a goal and an assist as the U.S. eliminated host nation Italy in a 6–0 win.<ref name="USA 6 Italy 0">{{cite web |last1= Ayjroyd|first1= Lucas|title=US ends Italy's run with shutout|url=https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2026/olympic-w/gamecenter/recap/68665/22-usa-vs-ita |website=iihf.com |access-date=February 14, 2026|date= February 13, 2026}}</ref> It marked the first time that the U.S. and Italy played each other at the Olympics or any other international competition.<ref>{{cite web |title=Winter Olympics 2026: Undefeated USA women advance to ice hockey semi-final with 6-0 win over host nation Italy |url=https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/news/winter-olympics-ice-hockey-women-usa-quarter-final-over-italy |publisher=Olympics |access-date=16 February 2026}}</ref> She finished the tournament with two goals and six assists in seven games and won a gold medal. During the gold medal game against Canada she assisted on the game-tying goal by Hilary Knight at the end of the third period to force overtime.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wkyc.com/article/sports/olympics/2026-winter-olympics-laila-edwards-team-usa-womens-hockey-gold-medal-game-canada-cleveland-heights-native/95-f83aa60b-7e74-4a0c-b01a-16e98d3ac88d |title=Cleveland Heights' Laila Edwards, Team USA defeat Canada to win gold medal in women's hockey at 2026 Winter Olympics |website=WKYC |date=February 19, 2026 |access-date=February 19, 2026}}</ref> She became the first Black American woman to win Olympic gold in ice hockey.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7058478/2026/02/19/laila-edwards-usa-hockey-history-gold-medal/ |title=Laila Edwards becomes first black woman to win gold with Team USA in Hockey |publisher=The Athletic |date=February 19, 2026 |access-date=February 19, 2026}}</ref> Following the tournament she was named to the media all-star team.<ref name="2026 Olympics">{{cite web|url=https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2026/olympic-w/news/72214/harvey_named_mvp_best_defender |title=Harvey named MVP, All-Star, Best Defender |website=IIHF.com |date=19 February 2026 |access-date=19 February 2026}}</ref>
==Personal life== Her sister Chayla also played ice hockey for Wisconsin.<ref name="Bio"/>
==Career statistics== ===Regular season and playoffs=== {| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em" |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! rowspan="97" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|Regular season ! rowspan="97" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|Playoffs |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Season ! Team ! League ! GP ! G ! A ! Pts ! PIM ! GP ! G ! A ! Pts ! PIM |- | 2022–23 | University of Wisconsin | WCHA | 41 | 13 | 14 | 27 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2023–24 | University of Wisconsin | WCHA | 41 | 21 | 35 | 56 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |- | 2024–25 | University of Wisconsin | WCHA | 41 | 35 | 36 | 71 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3"|NCAA totals ! 123 ! 69 ! 85 ! 154 ! 30 ! — ! — ! — ! — ! — |}
===International=== {| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em" |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Year ! Team ! Event ! Result ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" | ! GP ! G ! A ! Pts ! PIM |- | 2022 | United States | U18 | {{silver2}} | 5 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 2 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2024 | United States | WC | {{silver2}} | 7 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 0 |- | 2025 | United States | WC | {{gold1}} | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2026 | United States | OG | {{gold1}} | 7 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 2 |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="4"|Junior totals ! 5 ! 4 ! 4 ! 8 ! 2 |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="4"|Senior totals ! 21 ! 9 ! 11 ! 20 ! 2 |}
==Awards and honors== {| class="wikitable" ! Honors ! Year ! |- |- ! colspan="3"|College |- | WCHA All-Rookie Team | 2023 |<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wcha.com/news/2023/2/22/general-2022-23-all-wcha-teams-announced.aspx |title=2022-23 All-WCHA Teams Announced |website=wcha.com |date=February 23, 2023 |access-date=April 4, 2023}}</ref> |- | NCAA All-Tournament Team | 2023 |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://uwbadgers.com/news/2023/3/19/womens-hockey-lucky-seven-badgers-claim-seventh-national-title.aspx |title=Lucky Seven: Badgers claim seventh National Title |website=uwbadgers.com |date=March 19, 2023 |access-date=April 1, 2024}}</ref> |- | All-WCHA Third Team | 2024 |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wcha.com/news/2024/2/29/hockey-all-wcha-award-recipients-announced-for-2023-24.aspx |title=All-WCHA award recipients announced for 2023-24 |website=wcha.com |date=February 29, 2024 |access-date=April 1, 2024}}</ref> |- | All-WCHA First Team | 2025 |<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wcha.com/news/2024/12/31/hockey-all-wcha-teams-announced-for-2024-25.aspx |title=All-WCHA Teams Announced for 2024-25 |website=wcha.com |date=March 3, 2025 |access-date=March 3, 2025}}</ref> |- | NCAA All-Tournament Team | 2025 |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.collegehockeyinc.com/2025/03/frozen-four-simms-delivers-ncaa-title-for-wisconsin/ |title=Frozen Four: Simms Delivers NCAA Title for Wisconsin |website=collegehockeyinc.com |date=March 23, 2025 |access-date=March 23, 2025}}</ref> |- | All-WCHA Second Team | 2026 |<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wcha.com/news/2026/2/24/hockey-all-wcha-teams-announced-for-2025-26.aspx |title=All-WCHA Teams Announced for 2025-26 |website=wcha.com |date=February 26, 2026 |access-date=February 26, 2026}}</ref> |- | NCAA All-Tournament Team | 2026 |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://uwbadgers.com/news/2026/3/22/womens-hockey-Wisconsin-claims-ninth-national-championship_ |title=On Cloud Nine: Wisconsin claims ninth national championship |website=uwbadgers.com |date=March 22, 2026 |access-date=March 22, 2026}}</ref> |- ! colspan="3"|International |- | IIHF World Women's U18 Championship Best Forward | 2022 |rowspan="3"|<ref name="2022U18" /> |- | IIHF World Women's U18 Championship Most Valuable Player | 2022 |- | IIHF World Women's U18 Championship Media All-Star Team | 2022 |- | IIHF World Women's Championship Most Valuable Player | 2024 |rowspan="2"|<ref name="2024WC" /> |- | IIHF World Women's Championship Media All-Star Team | 2024 |- | Winter Olympics Media All-Star Team | 2026 | <ref name="2026 Olympics"/> |- ! colspan="3"|USA Hockey |- | Bob Allen Women's Player of the Year Award | 2024 | <ref name="2024 bob allen award">{{cite web |last1=Kennedy |first1=Ian |title=Laila Edwards Named USA Hockey's Women's Player of the Year |url=https://thehockeynews.com/womens/other-news/laila-edwards-named-usa-hockeys-womens-player-of-the-year |website=The Hockey News |date=May 29, 2024 |access-date=May 29, 2024}}</ref> |}
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{commons category}} * {{Ice hockey stats|elite=630762}} * {{Team USA|new_id=laila-edwards}} * [https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/results/athlete-details/25135 Laila Edwards] at Milano Cortina 2026 * {{Olympics.com|laila-edwards}} * {{Olympedia|157230}} * {{InterSportStats}} * {{Instagram}}<!-- per WP:ELMINOFFICIAL, choose one official website only -->
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Edwards, Laila}} Category:2004 births Category:Living people Category:American women's ice hockey forwards Category:African-American ice hockey players Category:Ice hockey people from Ohio Category:Ice hockey players at the 2026 Winter Olympics Category:Medalists at the 2026 Winter Olympics Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in ice hockey Category:People from Cleveland Heights, Ohio Category:Wisconsin Badgers women's ice hockey players Category:21st-century American sportswomen