Nebraska Wesleyan received accreditation by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools in 1914.

[10] The Prairie Wolves previously competed in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 1969–70 to 2015–16; as well as an NCAA D-III Independent while holding dual affiliation membership with the NAIA and the NCAA from 1982 to 2016.

It was during their time in the GPAC Wesleyan played their traditional rival Doane University in nearby Crete, Nebraska.

Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, track & field and wrestling.

Women's sports include basketball, cheerleading, cross country, dance, golf, soccer, swimming, softball, tennis, track & field and volleyball.

Nebraska Wesleyan has been associated with four mascots in its history, the Sunflower (1894–1907), the Coyote (1907–1933), the Plainsman (1933–2000), and the Prairie Wolf (2000–present).