Complete guide to NCAA Division 1 long jump qualifying standards, recruiting marks, and championship requirements
Guaranteed NCAA Championship entry
May qualify based on field size
Competitive for D1 scholarships
Minimum for D1 consideration
Guaranteed NCAA Championship entry
May qualify based on field size
Competitive for D1 scholarships
Minimum for D1 consideration
| Athlete | School | Mark | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erick Walder | Arkansas | 8.87m 29'1.25" | 1993 | NCAA Record |
| Marquis Dendy | Florida | 8.73m 28'7.75" | 2015 | Recent Elite |
| JuVaughn Harrison | LSU | 8.65m 28'4.5" | 2021 | Recent Elite |
| Rayvon Grey | LSU | 8.25m 27'0.75" | 2023 | Championship Level |
| Malcolm Clemons | Florida | 8.21m 26'11.25" | 2024 | Championship Level |
Erick Walder (NCAA Record)
Marquis Dendy
JuVaughn Harrison
Strong tradition
Consistent program
Rising program
Athletes who achieve the automatic qualifying standard are guaranteed entry to the NCAA Championships. This standard is set to ensure the top performers compete.
If not enough athletes meet the automatic standard, the field is filled from those who have achieved the provisional standard, ranked by performance.
D1 programs now have up to 45 scholarships available (increased from 12.6). Scholarship-level marks indicate competitive ability for partial or full funding.
Standards may differ between indoor and outdoor seasons. Outdoor standards are typically used as the primary benchmark for recruiting and scholarships.
All qualifying marks must be wind legal (maximum 2.0 m/s tailwind). Marks with excessive wind assistance do not count toward standards.
NCAA reviews and adjusts standards periodically based on performance trends and desired field sizes for championships.
For men, jumping consistently over 7.60m (24'11.25") puts you in scholarship consideration. For women, 6.10m (20'0.25") or better is competitive. However, academic requirements and program needs also factor into scholarship decisions.
The NCAA typically releases updated qualifying standards in the fall, well before the indoor and outdoor championship seasons. Standards can change year to year based on performance trends.
Marks achieved at JUCO level can be considered by D1 coaches for recruiting purposes, but official NCAA qualifying marks must be achieved while competing for a four-year NCAA institution.
The NCAA Championship field typically includes 24 athletes in the long jump (12 in each flight). This field is filled first by automatic qualifiers, then by provisional qualifiers ranked by performance.
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