Hall of Fame
Herman Kirkland is the most decorated long jumper in school history and he doubled as a premier sprinter for the Raiders in three seasons of competition in indoor track & field and outdoor track & field.
After redshirting as a freshman in 2009-10, Kirkland qualified for the NCAA Championships in at least one event in all three of his indoor and outdoor seasons of competition. He was an eight-time NCAA qualifier (four times indoors, four times outdoors) and a four-time NCAA All-American, finishing as a three-time All-American in the long jump and once in the indoor 60 meters.
Kirkland was also a dominant force at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships. He won five of a possible six conference titles in the long jump, including all three of his outdoor competitions. He also claimed a pair of outdoor 100-meter titles, an indoor 60-meter title, and a 4x100-meter relay title. Overall, Kirkland was a 13-time PSAC place-winner, and a 12-time All-PSAC (Top 3) finisher.
Among his many school records is an all-time PSAC record, as his dual at the PSAC Championships with IUP national champion Nafee Harris as a freshman in 2011 resulted in a record long jump of 25 feet, 3 ¼ inches (7.70 meters) that remains the league standard and meet record to this day. His outdoor school record of 25 feet, 0 ¾ inches (7.64 meters) still stands as well.
As a sprinter, Kirkland’s 100-meter best of 10.50 seconds stood as a school record for four seasons and to this day is tied for the second-fastest mark in school history. His 60-meter best of 6.79 seconds set an all-time PSAC record and stood as a school record for nine years. It remains the third-fastest time in school history.
Among his many league awards include being named the 2011 PSAC Indoor & Outdoor Freshman of the Year and the 2013 PSAC Outdoor Championships Most Valuable Athlete. He was also the 2011 USTFCCCA Atlantic Region Men’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Year. SU won PSAC Championships in all six of his seasons of competition.
Kirkland graduated in 2013 with a degree in human communication studies. He was active with Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) while on campus.
After Shippensburg, Kirkland continued to compete in track & field. In 2015, he competed at USA Indoor Nationals, where he placed sixth in the long jump. In 2016, Kirkland missed the US qualifying standard by just three centimeters. Following the death of his father – Kirkland’s biggest supporter – he retired from professional competition.
Kirkland currently works as a third and fourth-grade mathematics teacher at Mastery Charter Smedley Elementary School in Philadelphia. His passion is to work with inner-city youth in his native Philadelphia. He is the proud father of a newborn son, Santiago Herman Kirkland.
4-Time USTFCCCA All-America
2011 Indoor – LJ (7th)
2012 Indoor – 60 (6th), LJ (8th)
2012 Outdoor – LJ (4th)
8-Time National Qualifier
2011 Outdoor – LJ (11th)
2012 Outdoor – 100 (12th)
2013 Indoor – LJ (14th)
2013 Outdoor – LJ (16th)
9-Time USTFCCCA All-Region
2011 Indoor: LJ (25-3.25)
2011 Outdoor: 100 (10.56), LJ (25-0.75)
2012 Indoor: 60 (6.83), LJ (24-5.75)
2012 Outdoor: 100 (10.50), LJ (24-11.75)
2013 Indoor: LJ (24-2.25)
2013 Outdoor: LJ (24-8.25)
School Records
• Outdoor Long Jump: 25-0.75 [7.64m] (April 30, 2011 at Paul Kaiser Classic (Shippensburg))
• Indoor Long Jump: 25-3.25 [7.70m] (Feb. 25, 2011 at PSAC Championships (Edinboro))
Major Awards
• 2013 PSAC Outdoor Championships Most Valuable Athlete
• 2011 USTFCCCA Men's Atlantic Region Indoor Field Athlete of the Year
• 2011 PSAC Men's Outdoor Track & Field Freshman of the Year
• 2011 PSAC Men's Indoor Track & Field Freshman of the Year
PSAC Championships Competition
• 13-Time PSAC Placewinner
• 12-Time All-PSAC
• 9-Time PSAC Champion
2013 Outdoor – 100 (1st), LJ (1st)
2013 Indoor – 60 (3rd), LJ (1st)
2012 Outdoor – 100 (1st), LJ (1st)
2012 Indoor – 60 (1st), LJ (2nd)
2011 Outdoor – 100 (2nd), 4x100 (1st), LJ (1st)
2011 Indoor – 60 (5th), LJ (1st)
