PWHL San Jose Signs Fourth Overall Pick Laila Edwards

PWHL San Jose has signed defender Laila Edwards to a three-year Standard Player Agreement running through the 2028-29 season, the expansion club announced Monday.

Edwards was taken fourth overall in the 2026 PWHL Draft, held June 17, and is the first of San Jose's six picks from that six-round draft to put pen to paper. She becomes the 14th player under contract with the team and the only one signed past 2027-28.

"Laila is an exceptional talent who embodies the character we value in our organization," said Troy Ryan, San Jose's general manager and head coach. "She has tremendous potential, and we are committed to supporting her growth and development as she establishes herself as a professional."

The 22-year-old from Cleveland Heights, Ohio won three national championships in four seasons at Wisconsin, finishing with 199 points (81 goals, 118 assists) in 151 games. She led the nation with 35 goals in 2024-25 and was a top-three Patty Kazmaier finalist that year, then posted 45 points in 28 games for the Badgers in 2025-26. Edwards won gold in her Olympic debut with the United States in Milan in February, and was named MVP of the 2024 IIHF Women's World Championship at age 20, the youngest player to take the award.

"I couldn't have landed in a better place and organization than San Jose," Edwards said.

San Jose was announced as one of the PWHL's four expansion teams on May 19 and will debut at SAP Center this fall.