She didn’t just make the team, she made history!

Laila Edwards, the 22-year-old Cleveland Heights, Ohio native, has officially cemented her name in the record books. During Team USA’s dominant 5-0 victory over Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Edwards scored her first Olympic goal — becoming the first Black woman to score for the U.S. women’s Olympic hockey team. The moment came in the final minutes of the third period, after Edwards had already hit the post twice earlier in the game. On her third attempt, the puck sailed over the right shoulder of Canada’s goalkeeper, and the rest is history.

But the milestones didn’t start there. When Edwards first hit the ice in Team USA’s opening game against Czechia, she became the first Black woman to ever compete for the U.S. women’s Olympic hockey team. A moment her 91-year-old grandmother was there in person to witness.

Edwards traded figure skating for a hockey stick at age 5 and never looked back. She went on to become a two-time NCAA champion at the University of Wisconsin, earned U-20 World Championship MVP honors in 2024, and became the first Black woman named to the U.S. women’s national team. Known as a prolific forward in college, she led the NCAA with 35 goals during her junior season.

“There’s no rule book that says hockey is for boys,” Edwards told CBS Mornings. “There’s no reason you shouldn’t do it if you love it. I think that’s with everything in life.”

And the support has followed her to the Olympic stage. Fellow Cleveland Heights natives Travis and Jason Kelce donated to a family GoFundMe to help bring Edwards’ loved ones to Italy to watch her make history in real time.

The significance of her journey isn’t lost on Edwards. She’s spoken openly about carrying the responsibility of being first while staying intentional about making sure the door stays open for others. “I take a lot of pride in it, and I’m just going to embrace it, because representation matters,” she told Olympics.com.

With all of this happening during Black History Month, the timing couldn’t be more poetic.

Go Laila!