Pittsburgh, Pa. -- The RMU women's hockey team has appointed senior Lexi Templeman as the team's captain for 2020-21 season, it was announced Thursday.
Fellow seniors Emily Curlett and Emilie Harley join Templeman in a senior-heavy leadership group for the upcoming season, both donning the 'A's of alternate captain as the trio looks to guide RMU to its fifth consecutive College Hockey America Championship appearance.
"It's a huge honor to be named captain of this program," Templeman said. "Our team has so many people that could be wearing a letter, and I think that's what makes us so special. We have a really great leadership group that all bring different things to the table. I'm really looking forward to the season."
Templeman served as an alternate captain during the 2019-20 campaign, and will head into her senior season as RMU's top returning scorer in 2021. She finished second on the Colonials in scoring with 41 points, including 32 points in 36 conference games, and ranked second in College Hockey America in assists per game at .80.
An All-CHA second team honoree last year and one of the most complete two way players in the conference, Templeman was a finalist for CHA Best Defensive Forward in 2020 and also finished near the top of the national rankings offensively, tied for tenth in the nation in assists per game at .88.
Curlett, meanwhile, is one of CHA's premier offensive defenders and one of the most prolific blue liners in the country. She finished the 2020 campaign as the NCAA Division NC leader in power-play goals after she potted a remarkable 13 of 17 tallies on the man advantage.
"I am very thankful and excited for the opportunity to be a part of the leadership group on our team for this coming season," Curlett said. "Lexi and Emilie are both incredible players and people, and we've had outstanding leaders in our three years here to learn from. I look forward to the challenge of growing through adversity and helping our team to use COVID as an opportunity and not a setback."
The senior was a CHA First-Team honoree and finished the regular season tied for second in the conference in defender scoring at .85 points per game. Last season, she became the program's all-time leader in goals by a defender when she scored her 35th career tally against Penn State on February 8th.
Harley rounds out the new leadership group for the Colonials in 2020, another senior blue-liner with experience and pedigree to match. One of nine returning Colonials to dress in all 36 games last season, Harley is an all-situations defender who made major contributions on both the penalty kill and power play.
Two of her three goals came on the man-advantage, and her 15 points are second most of any returning Colonial defender, trailing only Curlett.
"I'm really grateful to be named an assistant captain this year. It feels good to know that the coaches and my teammates believe in me," Harley said. "I think with Lexi, Curly and the rest of the upperclassman we have a great leadership group. There's going to be a lot of uncertainty surrounding our season this year due to COVID, but I'm excited to find ways for our team to stay connected while we have to be socially distanced. Fingers crossed we can get back to work soon and be fighting for a ring sometime in the spring. I hope that I can leave a great impression on my team the community and the rest of RMU."
