A three-point field goal (also known as a "three-pointer" or "3-pointer") is a field goal in a basketball game, made from beyond the three-point line, a designated arc radiating from the basket. A successful attempt is worth three points, in contrast to the two points awarded for shots made inside the three-point line. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) keeps records of the Division I 3-point field goal makes per game (3PG) average annual leaders. The statistic was first recognized in the 1986–87 season when 3-point field goals were officially instituted by the NCAA. From the 1986–87 season through the 2007–08 season, the three-point perimeter was marked at for both men's and women's college basketball. On May 3, 2007, the NCAA men's basketball rules committee passed a measure to extend the distance of the men's three-point line back to , while the women's line would remain the same. The women's line would be moved back to match the men's line effective with the 2011–12 season. On June 5, 2019, the NCAA men's rules committee voted to extend the men's three-point line to the FIBA distance of , effective in 2019–20 in Division I and 2020–21 in lower NCAA divisions. The women's line remained at 20 ft 9 in until being moved to the FIBA distance in 2021–22.

Darrin Fitzgerald of Butler owns the all-time NCAA single-season record of 3-pointers made per game (5.64) which he accomplished in 1986–87. His 158 three-pointers made that season is also the second highest total in history behind Stephen Curry's 162 in 2007–08. Some players—such as prolific scorers Darrell Floyd, Pete Maravich and Austin Carr—who competed prior to the 1986–87 season may have scored more baskets from what would have been 3-point territory if the rule had been in place during their college careers. The player with the highest 3PG average over the span of his entire career (with a minimum of 200 made threes) is Mississippi Valley State's Timothy Pollard, who made 4.57 per game over four years.

Key

Pos.GFC3PGPositionGuardForwardCenter3-pointers per game Class (Cl.) key Fr Freshman So Sophomore Jr Junior Sr Senior Gr Graduate

^ Player still competing in NCAA Division I Player (X) Denotes the number of times the player had been the3-point leader up to and including that season

3-point field goals per game Except as specifically noted, all teams are listed under their current athletic brand names, which do not always match those in use during a specific season.

Season PlayerPos. Cl. Team Gamesplayed 3-pointfield goals 3PG1986–87GButler281585.641987–88GMississippi Valley State281324.711988–89 (2)G281244.431989–90GOhio281314.681990–91GSouthern281234.391991–92GRadford291174.031992–93GSouthern Miss261094.191993–94GUC Irvine261224.691994–95GSouthern251094.361995–96GFresno State291204.141996–97GSouthern271224.521997–98GVirginia301304.331998–99GTexas–Pan American271104.071999–00 (2)G281144.072000–01GMississippi Valley State271073.962001–02GWright State281043.712002–03GFlorida A&M281394.962003–04 (2)G311404.522004–05GCharlotte291143.932005–06GLoyola (MD)281184.212006–07GNorthern Arizona301244.132007–08GChicago State281304.642008–09 (2)G321474.592009–10GCentral Michigan301053.502010–11GSanta Clara381403.682011–12GVanderbilt351343.832012–13GOakland331394.212013–14GEast Carolina331534.642014–15GEastern Washington321284.002015–16GOklahoma371473.972016–17 GCentral Michigan321253.912017–18 GOakland301344.472018–19GWofford351584.512019–20GMarquette291214.172020–21GAmerican10393.902021–22GLiberty331424.302022–23GDetroit Mercy331594.822023–24GOakland361373.812024–25^GMonmouth331273.852025–26GSamford301274.23

Multiple-time leaders RankPlayerTeamTimes leaderYears1Chicago State22007–08, 2008–09Texas–Pan American1998–99, 1999–00Timothy PollardMississippi Valley State1987–88, 1988–89Florida A&M2002–03, 2003–04

Footnotes

References General

Specific