RALEIGH--For the first time in the school's history, men are moving onto campus at William Peace University.

Christian Gray is one of the first to move in, and is excited to play basketball on the school's first men's basketball team.

"I like the idea that the classes are smaller and the location is great. I'll be a student athlete here, I'll be playing basketball," Gray said.

Members of the a cappella group, now including six male members, greeted new students by singing the school's alma mater.

The school received almost 1,500 applications this year, up from 1,000 last year. University officials report that 32 percent of the incoming class are men. They also say they've already seen an increased interest for next year. But not everyone is in favor of letting men join the campus. The decision lead several students to transfer out of the historically all-women university.

"There were a couple of students actually that preferred a women's college and we helped them transfer," University President Dr. Debra Townsley said.

"I know some people who moved to Meredith College and stuff if Peace wasn't for them," senior Danica Co said. "This is for the betterment of our school."

Still, Gray said he's already starting to feel at home.

"I've been here over a week and I know most of the staff, they know my name. So it's more of a homey feeling here," Gray said.

The first full-time co-ed classes will start on Monday, August 20, 2012.