Summary
Coordinates: 43°0′13″N 88°13′40″W / 43.00361°N 88.22778°W / 43.00361; -88.22778
Carroll University is a private liberal arts college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA located in Waukesha in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Carroll opened in 1846, two years before Wisconsin became a state. Before July 1, 2009, Carroll University was known as Carroll College.[1]
History
Prairieville Academy, which eventually became Carroll College (and subsequently Carroll University), was founded in 1841.[2] Three years later, in summer of 1844, the genesis for Beloit College came in the form of a group of New Englanders calling themselves "Friends of Education," who gathered to discuss the formation of a "frontier college."
The charter for Carroll – named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton, Maryland, a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence – was passed into law by the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature on January 31, 1846. Beloit's charter followed shortly on February 2, giving rise to Carroll's claim to be the oldest four-year institution in Wisconsin.
Beloit's claim is often phrased "the oldest college in the state in continuous operation," with a particular emphasis on the "continuous operation" aspect. During the 1860s, the American Civil War and financial difficulty caused Carroll to temporarily suspend operations, while Beloit has offered classes continuously since 1847.[3]
The Zeta chapter of Phrateres, a non-exclusive, non-profit social-service club, was installed here in 1932. Between 1924 and 1967, 23 chapters of Phrateres were installed in universities across North America.
In 2009, Carroll was ranked 175th out of 600 by Forbes on their list of America's Best Colleges.[4]
In 2013, Carroll was ranked 43rd in Midwest Regional Colleges by U.S.News & World_Report on their list of America's Best Colleges.[5]
Academics
Carroll University offers more than 60 areas of study at an undergraduate level and Master's degrees and certificates in selected subjects, as well as one clinical doctorate program in physical therapy. There are 96 full-time faculty members and approximately 3,325 students from 28 states and 27 countries.[citation needed]
Campus
The college broke ground in 1852.[6] Several buildings contribute the campus' history and atmosphere, including Sneeden House (a 1922 colonial home now used as a guesthouse and conference center) and MacAllister Hall (a renovated, nineteenth-century mansion that now houses the History, Religious Studies, Modern Languages, and English Departments).[7] The school provides housing in six residence halls, six apartment buildings, and two houses.
Athletics
Carroll University's athletic teams, known athletically as the Pioneers, participate in the NCAA Division III and compete in 10 men's and 10 women's sports in the Midwest Conference.[8] Carroll University was a member of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin from 1955 to 1992. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field and volleyball.
The college football program at Carroll began in the late 1890s. Past head coaches include Glenn Thistlethwaite, Vince DiFrancesca, and Matty Bell. The current coach is Mark Krzykowski, who replaced Henny Hiemenz after the 2010 season.
A notable event in American football history occurred at Carroll on September 5, 1906, when Saint Louis University player Bradbury Robinson, coached by Eddie Cochems, threw the first legal forward pass in football history.
In 2006, both the men's and women's basketball teams qualified for the NCAA Division III tournament for the first time in school history. The women won the Midwest Conference tournament and received the automatic bid, while the men's team received an "at-large" bid. Both were eliminated in the first round of play.
In 2007, both teams again qualified for the tournament. The Pioneers endured a long road to win the Midwest Conference tournament, including freak power outages that forced the championship game to be delayed and moved twice (first to Monmouth College, then to nearby Knox College). Upon reaching the NCAA tournament, they defeated 7th-ranked Augustana College in the first round of play, and 5th-ranked University of St. Thomas, to advance to the "Sweet Sixteen" sectional level. The women received an at-large bid to the tournament, defeating Illinois Wesleyan University in the first round, but losing in the second round of play to 25th-ranked Luther College.
In 2012, Carroll returned to the NCAA tournament, making it to the second round after defeating ranked Transy