Laila Edwards becomes first Black woman to play for USA at a world championship: ‘To break that barrier is a great feeling’

UTICA, N.Y. — Laila Edwards has become the first Black woman to play for the U.S. women’s national team at a world championship.

Edwards, 20, became the first Black woman to play for Team USA in November, when she played in the 2023-24 Rivalry Series against Canada. Now a member of the 23-player roster at worlds and on the ice in Wednesday’s opener against Switzerland, Edwards has officially arrived on the international stage, and solidified her spot on the national team.

“I’m super honored to have this platform, and to break that barrier is a great feeling. My only hope and wish is that it continues to flood as I’ve broken it open,” Edwards told The Athletic after the game.

“I think making the national team is a great step. To be at the World Championships, and representing Team USA at the international level is a great further step in the right direction, which I hope continues.”

With a combination of size — she stands 6-foot-1 — and skill, Edwards is one of the most unique and exciting prospects in women’s hockey. She’s a highly skilled playmaker with the ability to slow the game down around her. She can find laser-thin seams in the ice, or see plays…