BOSTON - Rising seniors Jesse Compher and Nara Elia will serve as co-captains of the Boston University women's ice hockey team for the 2020-21 season while rising junior Kaleigh Donnelly and rising senior Kristina Schuler will be the team's assistant captains, head coach Brian Durocher announced on Monday.

Compher and Elia will be the 18th and 19th captains in program history. Donnelly and Schuler will be the team's first assistant captains since the 2017-18 season when Victoria Bach, Sammy Davis and Erin O'Neil all served in that capacity.

"I am excited to announce the four student-athletes that will form our leadership group for the 2020-2021 season," Durocher said. "Their leadership up to this point has generated confidence and support from their teammates. I know that they have studied excellent captains like Sammy Davis, Natasza Tarnowski and Reagan Rust, just to name a few. They will be able to reflect on the lessons learned over the past couple of years. My staff and I look forward to the focus, concern and direction they will bring both on and off the ice. Jesse, Nara, Kristina and Kaleigh are quality individuals who will lead by example next season."

All four skaters have been instrumental in the Terriers' success over the last two seasons during which BU has combined for 45 wins. Compher totaled 29 points (13g, 16a) in just 26 games this past season and was named to the United States' roster for the 2020 Women's World Championship, which would have been her second straight appearance at that tournament. In 100 career games, the 2019 All-American has notched 39 goals and added 77 assists for 116 points.

Elia enjoyed her best season as a Terrier in 2019-20, recording career highs in goals (11), assists (19) and points (30). She scored several important goals during the year, with two of her team-high five game-winners coming in overtime. In 108 career games, Elia has tallied 28 goals and secured 34 assists for 62 points.

Donnelly has shined in her first two years at BU, having collected 17 points in each of those two seasons. She scored a career-best four goals, including two game-winners, and also notched 13 assists during the 2019-20 campaign. Donnelly has notched five goals and 29 assists for 34 points in 72 career contests.

Schuler posted the best season of her collegiate career in 2019-20, securing career highs in goals (8), assists (13) and points (21) while also finishing the year as a career-best plus-15. She assisted on five game-winning goals and put together two point streaks of at least five games. In 107 career appearances, Schuler has scored 18 goals and added 28 assists for 46 points.