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The Citadel will enroll 41 women later this month as part of the largest freshman class at the state military college in almost two decades, a school spokesman said Wednesday.
The new female recruits will mean 83 women in the formerly all- male school's 1,800-member cadet corps, spokesman Bruce Williams said.
The college has 665 deposits from incoming freshmen, making it the largest freshman class since 1982. That is up 13 percent from last year, he said.
"There is increased interest in military schools across the spectrum," Williams said. "There is an increase at the college level, but also in the 6 through 12 level in having a more structured environment."
Shannon Faulkner became the first female Citadel cadet when she entered under a court order in 1995. She dropped out after less than a week, citing the stress of the court fight and her isolation in the corps.
Four women enrolled the following year after the college dropped its all-male admissions policy. Two left after a semester. One of the four, Nancy Mace, who transferred credits from another school, became the school's first female graduate in May.
The fourth woman to enroll that year, Petra Lovetinska, is a senior now and this week is in charge of the training of freshmen athletes.
About 70 freshmen athletes are already on campus while the rest of the class reports Aug. 21.
"I can be a good role model," said Lovetinska, who is outranked by only six other cadets. "I want to make sure girls will not be scared to try and achieve rank in the company."
Nine of the freshman athletes are women.
"We've got good females in high positions," said Kenneth Bath, the highest-ranking cadet officer. "I've been totally impressed all week with them."
Lovetinska, who is the executive officer of one of the cadet battalions, says she sometimes still privately peeks at the insignia on her collar.
"It's going to be a tough road because people are watching me," Lovetinska said. But she said she is more concerned about being a good leader and doing a good job with the group she commands.
Bath said he doesn't want to hear any more about female issues. Instead, he said, everything's a cadet issue.
Lovetinska said she has come further than even she expected when she reported with the four other woman in 1996.
"I just wanted to make it then," she said. "I just wanted to graduate."