In 2005-06, the Owls transitioned to Division I basketball. The team joined the Atlantic Sun Conference and struggled through several up-and-down seasons. Early in the 2010-11 season, the team achieved its biggest win ever as a Division I program, posting an 80-63 upset victory over Georgia Tech. However, KSU finished the year with a disappointing 8-23 record, and Ingle was fired. In addition to losing many games, the team had struggled to meet NCAA academic standards, which ultimately led to Ingle's dismissal.