University of Rochester women's cross country and track & field senior Alyssa Horng was announced as the recipient of the 2025 Terrence L. Gurnett Female-Scholar Athlete Award on Monday evening at the annual University of Rochester Department of Athletics and Recreation Awards Banquet on Monday, May 4.
 
Competing across the fall, winter and spring seasons, Horng has earned eight varsity letters as a member of URochester's cross country and track & field teams, serving as the cross country team captain this past fall. The senior had an impressive fall campaign on the course, earning USTFCCCA All-Region honors with her 33rd-place finish at the NCAA Niagara Regional and posting an average finish of 28.17, tallying five top-50 results.
 
On the track, Horng has been a consistent scorer in the distance races, setting new personal best marks in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meters at the Liberty League Outdoor Track & Field Championships earlier this month, and scoring in the 5,000 meters at both the indoor and outdoor championships.
 
Academically, Horng is a three-time UAA and Liberty League All-Academic selection and received USTFCCCA All-Academic honors for her performance on the cross-country course this past fall. Horng was also named a Provost Circle Scholar as a junior and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa this spring.
 
A double major in brain and cognitive science and environmental studies, Horng has conducted research at the Lalor Lab at URMC, completed her senior honors thesis with Professor Karl Rosengren, and presented her research at three high-level academic conferences in 2025. Previously, the Millbrae, CA, native received Rochester's Schwartz Discover Grant, while next fall, Horng plans on enrolling in a PhD program at Stanford University.
 
Inaugurated in 1995, the Terrence L. Gurnett Award is annually presented to a female member of the senior class who has both shown excellence in the classroom and serves as a role model for
their fellow students.
 
Terrence "Terry" Gurnett '77 is a former URochester student-athlete and head coach and now serves as the Associate Director of Athletics for Advancement. As an undergrad, Gurnett played on the men's varsity soccer team and, upon graduation, served as head coach of the Rochester women's soccer team. His teams won back-to-back NCAA Division III National Championships in 1986 and 1987 and accumulated over 400 victories during his career leading the Yellowjackets from 1978 to 2010.