| NCAA men's volleyball tournament | |
| Year: | 1972 |
| Dates: | May 1972 |
| Num Teams: | 4 |
| Second: | San Diego State |
| Third: | Ball State |
| Fourth: | UC Santa Barbara |
| Matches: | 10 |
| Prev Season: | 1971 |
| Next Season: | 1973 |
The 1972 NCAA men's volleyball tournament was the third annual tournament to determine the national champion of NCAA men's college volleyball. The tournament was played at Irving Gymnasium at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.[1] Like the previous year, the format of this championship consisted of a preliminary, four-team round robin to determine seeding for a subsequent single-elimination tournament.
UCLA defeated San Diego State, 3–2 (10–15, 9–15, 15–9, 15–10, 15–7), in the championship match to win their third consecutive national title. UCLA's Dick Irvin was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.
Until the creation of the NCAA Men's Division III Volleyball Championship in 2012, there was only a single national championship for men's volleyball. As such, all NCAA men's volleyball programs (whether from the University Division, or the College Division) were eligible. A total of 4 teams were invited to contest this championship.
| Team | Appearance | Previous | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ball State | 3rd | 1971 | |
| San Diego State | 1st | Never | |
| UCLA | 3rd | 1971 | |
| UC Santa Barbara | 3rd | 1971 |
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