On the Virginia college scene this fall, one of the biggest changes occurred when the newly christened Randolph College admitted men.

"We're very excited about the transition," said Brenda Edson, strategic communications manager for the college.

Founded in 1891 as Randolph-Macon Woman's College, this private college in Lynchburg made the change amid heated protests from its female graduates. The college went coed to stave off declining enrollment and financial difficulties.

About 70 men are part of the college's first coed student body of 660. Sixty-one are freshmen, Edson said. The others are sophomores and juniors who transferred from other schools, she said.

University officials planned assiduously for the change, which included everything from adding male sleeping quarters with longer beds to hiring male coaches and creating men's cross-country, soccer, tennis and basketball teams.

Randolph College employed many of the lessons other schools learned in making similar transitions, Edson said.

For example, Randolph College hired a male upperclassman from Lynchburg College to live in a RC dorm as a resident assistant to the male students.

The college also has a new logo.

"We've rebranded ourselves," Edson said, noting that the WildCat mascot has remained the same. "Our focus is on making this the best year ever."

Student inquiries about the transformed Randolph College are already at 14,377, which exceeds the 9,000 typical in a year's time, Edson said. The school is on track toward a stronger footing, which was the impact sought by opening the school to men, she said. -- Bonnie V. Winston