MITCHELL, S.D. (AP) — Dakota Wesleyan University says its enrollment is its highest ever.

Initial figures show that the Mitchell school's enrollment for the fall is 873 students, 170 of which are freshmen. That surpasses the university's all-time record of 850 students in 1966.

DWU says its retention of freshman to sophomore students has reached 77 percent, a jump from five years ago when it was 57 percent.

President Amy Novak says a lot of the credit should go to the university staff and a new science facility dedicated Thursday.

Final counts for enrollment and retention won't be in until later into September, after the final drop date.

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