The city of Cleveland Heights celebrated its hometown hero, Laila Edwards, as the Olympian helped Team USA win the women’s ice hockey gold medal match at the Milano Cortina Olympics Thursday.
Edwards, 22, became the first Black woman to suit up in the Olympics for USA hockey. The Cleveland Heights native has spent much of her life away from home, though her parents still reside there. She left Northeast Ohio to attend high school at the Bishop Kearney Selects Academy in Rochester, New York, and then committed to the University of Wisconsin, where she’s already won two national titles.
Supporters gathered on the ice rink inside the Cleveland Heights Community Center Thursday afternoon, where a large screen was set up to display the gold medal match between the U.S. and Canada. The rink was also decorated with red, white and blue balloons and a poster of Edwards.
Cleveland Heights Mayor Jim Petras said the community has shown nothing but love and enthusiasm for Edwards.
“How could you not be excited?” Petras said. “Little old Cleveland Heights has an Olympian out there in the gold medal game.”
Laila Edwards played a pivotal role in Team USA’s journey through these Olympic games, providing six assists through seven matches. But the one that mattered most came late Thursday, as Edwards assisted Hilary Knight to tie the game, 1-1, in the 57th minute. That sent the match to overtime, where Megan Keller became Team USA’s hero with the game-winning goal.
