We recently rejoiced when Maame Biney made history by becoming the first black woman to qualify to compete in the Olympics for the U.S. speedskating team. Well, that's just the beginning of black excellence on ice.

Jordan Greenway will join the U.S. hockey team for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and will be the first black hockey player, male or female, to ever represent the U.S. in hockey in 98 years of games.

The 20-year-old, who stands at 6 foot, 5 inches and 235 pounds, hails from Canton, New York, and is a hockey forward at Boston University of the Hockey East.

“Even starting in 1960 when we had the amateurs playing in the Olympics and we were able to get the gold medal there, and then most recently in 1980, just being able to build on that legacy is an unbelievable feeling for me, and I’m happy I’m able to get this opportunity now,” Greenway told Sporting News.

Greenway doesn't want to be wholly defined by his race, but he made it clear that he is aware of the impact his presence on the team will have on the younger generation.

“I’ve been able to accomplish a lot of good things and just allowing a lot of African American kids who are younger than me who see kind of what I’m doing, I hope that can be an inspiration for them,” Greenway said. “Go out and do something different against the typical stereotypes that most African Americans play basketball, or whatever the case is.”

According to the NCAA, there are only 13 self-identified black hockey players among the 1,690 men’s Division I collegiate hockey players. That's just 0.77 percent of all DI college players. Only 2.29 percent of the NHL’s current players are black.

Some have minimized Greenway making the national team, the NHL is restricting its players from competing in this year's winter games. These critics have suggested that if he'd had to qualify against pros, Greenway wouldn't have made the cut.

His coach, David Quinn, disagrees with this assessment.

“He really is the complete package in a lot of ways when he plays fast," Quinn said. "His problem is he plays slow too often.”

Greenway, for his part, isn't allowing himself to be bothered by detractors, and is instead keeping his head in the game.

“I didn’t really expect myself to be able to accomplish a goal of playing in the Olympics this early," Greenway said. “But the opportunity has presented itself, and I’m going to take full advantage of it.”

U.S. Hockey Team

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