from 1872 to 1909, but did not become fully coeducational until 1970. Before full coeducation, Wesleyan alumni and other supporters of women's education established Connecticut College in 1912. Wesleyan, along with Amherst and Williams colleges, is part of "The Little Three". Its teams compete athletically as a member of the NESCAC in NCAA Division III.
== History ==
Before Wesleyan was founded, a military academy established by Alden Partridge existed, consisting of the campus's North and South Colleges. As this academy failed, New England Methodists bought it and founded in 1831 an all-male Methodist college. Willbur Fisk was the first president. Despite its name, Wesleyan was never an officially denominational seminary, though its curriculum and campus religious life were shaped by a heavy Methodist influence. In 1909, it built Judd Hall, named after alumnus Orange Judd, one of the earliest academic buildings devoted exclusively to undergraduate science instruction on any American college or university …
