Little Three

This article describes the New England agglomeration of colleges. For the Western New York agglomeration, see Western New York Little Three Conference.

The "Little Three" is an unofficial athletic competition of three liberal arts colleges in New England, United States. The "Little Three" are:

• Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts
• Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut
• Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts

In 1899, Amherst, Wesleyan and Williams schools first began to compete together as the "Triangular League". Since then they have continued to play each other in most sports on a regular basis. In the 1920s, the competition picked up the nickname the "Little Three", in contrast to the "Big Three" (Harvard, Yale, and Princeton), and the name has stuck.

These colleges are all also members of New England Small College Athletic Conference, and all of these schools are commonly included in the group of schools known as the "Little Ivies" and are considered to be among the most selective colleges in America.

See also

• The Biggest Little Game in America

External links

• Athletics at Williams College