Laila Edwards is preparing for the next step in her women’s ice hockey career, confirming that she’ll enter the PWHL draft after graduating from Wisconsin this year.
Edwards, a three-time NCAA champion with the Badgers, will graduate on May 9th with a 4.0 GPA and a degree in social welfare. As she recently told Good Morning America, going pro is now the plan, with the PWHL draft set for late June.
“Pro? That’s the plan,” Edwards said. “Entering the draft at the end of June.”
The forward has played a key role in the Badgers’ recent success, while also helping Team USA win gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The 22-year-old made history in Milan, when she became Team USA’s first Black woman goal-scorer in February’s 5-0 group-stage win over Canada. Opening up about her experience, Edwards pointed to the impact she hopes to have — both on and off the ice.
“I think representation matters, so to be that representation means the world,” she said. “That is the greatest reward, by far… the inspiration. It’s everything.”
Edwards also emphasized how she wants to be remembered as her career continues to develop.
“I’m super competitive. I love winning,” she said. “But I want to leave a legacy about who I was as a role model, a leader, and a person.”
Edwards is expected to be one of the top players to watch in the 2026 PWHL Draft — alongside fellow USA Hockey and Wisconsin teammate Caroline Harvey.
She also added that her long-term plans extend beyond hockey, pointing to a future focused on helping others.
“Whatever I’m going to do with that, I don’t know yet,” Edwards said of her Bachelor’s degree. “Just the idea of helping people who need help.”
