NATCHITOCHES- Enrollment at Louisiana's Northwestern State University reached 10,572 this fall - the highest in the school's 133-year history.

The university said Tuesday in a news release that enrollment increased by 753 students - or 7.7 percent - over last fall's enrollment of 9,819.

The university says increased new freshman enrollment and better retention rates contributed to the record.

NSU enrolled 1,542 new freshmen this fall for an increase of 82 students, or 5.6 percent, over the fall of 2016.

The percentage of freshmen who returned for their sophomore year this fall was over 74 percent; a year ago, it was just under 69 percent.