Hurley was the very first female student accepted and enrolled into Claremont McKenna College, and she competed for the track and field, volleyball and cross country programs over the course of her four years in Claremont. She was a member of the first women's SCIAC championship-winning team at CMS, which she earned in her first season with the cross country program in 1978, helping the Athenas win in only their second year of existence. Hurley competed on the track and field team all four seasons, and began her CMC career playing volleyball in the fall, before joining the cross country team in 1978 and helping the Athenas to the championship.