Athletics have been an important part of Smith College life since Senda Berenson started the program in the late 1800's. The first women's collegiate basketball game was held at Smith in 1893 after Berenson adapted the game for women. For many years, all freshmen and sophomores were required to take a sport as part of their regular studies. The Smith College Athletic Association prevented intercollegiate competition, maintaining that it would hurt the spirit of friendly intramural competition at the college, but the intramural programs drew much interest, and spots on class teams were highly coveted. The first intercollegiate games were allowed in 1971, and Smith College joined the Northeast Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. In 1981, Smith became the first women's college to join the NCAA, in which it remains a division III member today.