Cresson, PA - Mount Aloysius women's soccer player Mackenzie Horne was chosen as a finalist for the 2015 NCAA Woman of the Year award, which honors graduating female college athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in academics, athletics, service and leadership.

Horne was one of 480 female student-athletes – the most ever in the history of the program – nominated for the 2015 NCAA Woman of the Year award.  The NCAA encourages member schools to honor its top graduating female student-athletes each year by submitting their names for consideration for the Woman of the Year award. This past Friday, Horne was then chosen as one of 230 finalists.

"Mackenzie is well deserving of this prestigious honor. She led by example both on and off the field with everything she did and how she carried herself, and I have no doubt she'll do incredible things down the road," Head Women's Soccer Coach Matt Davis said.

Horne, a defender on the women's soccer team, made a name for herself both on and off the pitch for Mount Aloysius. She was a two-year captain who made 51 career starts on the backline for the Mounties and was consistently one of the top defenders on the team.

Horne, who graduated from Mount Aloysius in just three years this past May, was a writer and editor for the Mount Aloysius school newspaper 'The Belltower.' During her time at the Mount, she also served as a campus tour-guide, a Mercy scholar, a member of the Political Action Committee and as a student-worker in the Campus Security office. Horne also distinguished herself as Research Assistant to Irish Ambassador James A. Sharkey and during the visit of NYU Professor Dr. Larry Jackson.

The highlight of Horne's time at Mount Aloysius came when she served as a leader on a 10-day trip to Ireland and Northern Ireland this year, visiting the Mercy Center International Center in Dublin and witnessing first hand the aftereffects of the decades long civil unrest in Belfast.  She represented Mount Aloysius College with reps from 10 other Mercy institutions.  Horne and the other college students actively engaged in reflection and study of the Mercy Values and served with the Sisters in residence. Horne reported that, in addition to learning about the life and work of the foundress of the order, Mother Catherine McAuley; students developed ways to enhance the commitment to service on campus.

In the classroom, Horne graduated with a 3.93 GPA as a history and political science major. She was accepted into graduate school at Duquesne University, where she will begin her studies this fall.

The 2015 NCAA Woman of the Year winner will be announced, and the Top 30 honorees celebrated, at the annual award ceremony Oct. 18 in Indianapolis.

For the full list of nominees, visit here.