KENNESAW, Georgia - July 22, 2005 - The Kennesaw State Owls are now officially members of the NCAA Division I and the Atlantic Sun Conference. The date July 1, 2005 marked the official end of the Division II era and begins Kennesaw State's odyssey into Division I.
The Owls, who for over a decade dominated the NCAA Division II ranks, join the University of North Florida and East Tennessee State as the newest members of the Atlantic Sun Conference. All of the 14 intercollegiate sports sponsored by Kennesaw State will compete in the league beginning in 2005-06.
Kennesaw State will be in the hunt for the regular season championship in all sports, but the Owls will not be eligible for postseason play in the conference or in the national tournament for the next four years.
However, the women's soccer team and the men's golf team, which moved to Division I a year earlier than the rest of the KSU programs, will be eligible for the post season beginning in 2006-07.
The Owls enters Division I on the heels of a very successful final year of Division II competition. The 2004-05 season saw Kennesaw State send six teams and three individuals to national tournaments.
The Owls All-Girl competitive cheer squad took the National Cheer Association (NCA) national title for the second consecutive season. The softball team, under legendary head coach Scott Whitlock advanced to the national championship game.
The men's and women's cross country team advanced to their national championships with the women's side placing fifth in the country, the highest-ever finish for a cross country team in the program's history.
Under head coach Tony Ingle, the men's basketball team, national champions in 2003-04, advanced to the national tournament for the third consecutive season. The baseball team advanced to the championship game of the South Atlantic Regionals.
In total, the Owls final year of Division II saw a national championship, a regional crown, four conference champions and the end of an era. Next, up for the black and gold of KSU, a new era complete with new challenges yet similar results.
There will not be many familiar faces for the Owls as they begin Division I play. The new schedules will be filled with new teams, new rivalries and new travels. However, one very familiar foe will be the Ospreys of North Florida. UNF will join Kennesaw State in the A-Sun, as the two former Peach Belt Conference foes will continue their rivalry.
The A-Sun Conference features 11 teams from Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Florida. In addition to KSU, the only other conference school in the state is Mercer. South of the Owls in Florida is Florida Atlantic, Stetson and Jacksonville. Florida Atlantic, also nicknamed the Owls, will be playing just one season in the A0-Sun before moving conferences in 2006-07. Belmont and Lipscomb reside in Nashville, Tennessee while Gardner-Webb and Campbell are in North Carolina.
<b>Atlantic Sun Conference
2004-05 Champions< b>
<b>Men's Sports< b>
<b>Baseball< b> Troy (RS), Florida Atlantic (Tournament) <b>Basketball< b> Gardner-Webb Central Florida (RS), Central Florida (Tournament) <b>Cross Country< b> Belmont <b>Golf< b> Georgia State <b>Soccer< b> Central Florida Florida Atlantic (RS), Central Florida <b>Tennis< b> Central Florida
Kennesaw State does not sponsor Men's Soccer; () Kennesaw State will begin sponsorship of men's tennis in the fall of 2006
<b>Women's Sports< b>
<b>Basketball< b> Central Florida (RS), Stetson (Tournament) <b>Cross Country< b> Belmont <b>Soccer< b> Campbell (RS), Campbell (Tournament) <b>Softball< b> Troy (RS), Central Florida (Tournament) <b>Tennis< b> Florida Atlantic <b>Volleyball< b> Florida Atlantic (RS), Jacksonville (Tournament)
Kennesaw State will begin sponsorship of women's volleyball in the fall of 2006
