LaGrange College is the oldest private college in Georgia. Affiliated with the United Methodist Church, it is located in LaGrange, Georgia, with an enrollment of about 1,174 students. The student-to-faculty ratio is 11:1. The College is a four year, liberal arts and sciences institution offering degrees in some 50 undergraduate academic areas plus a Graduate program in Education.
Founded in 1831, LaGrange began as the female educational institution, LaGrange Female Academy. It was first housed in a large white building just across the street from the current campus. In 1842, the academy moved to the present location on “the Hill”, which is the highest geographical point in the city of LaGrange. The institution changed its name to LaGrange Female College in 1851, then to LaGrange College in 1934. The school officially became coed in 1953.
LaGrange College has retained Methodist ties throughout its history and today is part of the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church.
In athletics, LaGrange College is a member of NCAA Division III with 14 athletic programs, including a new men’s football program, playing an inaugural season in fall of 2006. In March 2007, the Panthers joined the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference as a football-only member, and will begin conference competition in 2008. Although they still have yet to record a victory, they are hoping to gain that first victory by the time the football program is 5 years old. Millions of dollars have been spent on the stadium, weight room, and locker rooms, in order to attract top talent. This has not worked in bringing talented players to the team, and soon other means will have to be looked at. The school's other sports experience much more success on decidedly smaller budgets.
The men's and woman's basketball teams play their game in the ancient Mariotti Gym, have experienced some success and both teams are gaining ground on the rest of the teams in the conference.
Some of the best players to come out of this program are: #22 Antoine "Tweezy" Maddox #32 Robert Lawrence Jr. #55 Demetris Render Dale Lomax Mark Isenhour
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