History of NCAA men's volleyball tournament in Timeline

The NCAA Men's Volleyball Tournament is an annual competition that determines the NCAA champion in American college men's volleyball. Originating in 1970, it was the sole NCAA championship in men's volleyball until the introduction of a Division III championship in 2012. This tournament stands as the pinnacle of collegiate men's volleyball in the United States.

1970: First NCAA Tournament

In 1970, the NCAA tournament was first held and since then 33 teams have appeared in it.

1970: Inaugural NCAA Men's Volleyball Championship

In 1970, the first NCAA men's volleyball tournament, officially titled the NCAA National Collegiate Men's Volleyball Championship, was held. This was the sole NCAA championship in the sport until 2012.

1986: Division I Sponsorship Numbers

From 1986 to 2021, the number of Division I schools sponsoring men's volleyball fluctuated between 20 and 24 teams.

1996: Stanford Wins Championships

Hawaii, UCLA, Southern California, Penn State, Stanford, and Long Beach State are the only schools in Division I to have won an NCAA national championship in both men and women's volleyball. In 1996, Stanford's men and women's volleyball programs won the national championship in the same academic year.

2003: Lewis Defeats BYU

In the 2003 final, Lewis defeated BYU but had its win vacated due to NCAA rules violations.

2007: Penn State Wins Championships

Hawaii, UCLA, Southern California, Penn State, Stanford, and Long Beach State are the only schools in Division I to have won an NCAA national championship in both men and women's volleyball. In 2007, Penn State's men and women's volleyball programs won the national championship in the same academic year.

2012: Launch of Division III Championship

In 2012, the NCAA launched a Division III championship in men's volleyball, marking the first time since 1970 that there was another NCAA championship event in the sport.

2012: Conference Carolinas Launches Men's Volleyball League

In the 2012 season, Conference Carolinas (CC) became the first NCAA conference to sponsor men's volleyball as a scholarship sport.

2012: Men's Volleyball Divisional Structure

Prior to the 2011-12 school year, culminating in the 2012 championship, men's volleyball lacked an official divisional structure. After 2012, a Division III championship event was created.

2013: Automatic Bids to Final Four

Through the 2013 tournament, the three major conferences (MPSF, MIVA, EIVA) each received an automatic bid to the Final Four, with one additional at-large bid.

2014: Expansion to Six Teams

Beginning with the 2014 championship, the field expanded to six teams, with Conference Carolinas and one at-large entry added. The entire championship tournament was held at one site.

2014: Previous Tournament Format

From 2014 to 2017, the tournament format involved two quarterfinal matches, with the winners joining the top two seeds in the semifinals.

2014: Rutgers-Newark's Last Participation

In 2014, Rutgers–Newark was the last exception allowed to compete for the National Collegiate Championship despite being a Division III school, due to its grandfathered scholarship program.

2014: Previous Expansion

September 8, 2025 marked the first major expansion since the second at-large bid was added back in 2014.

2014: CC Receives Automatic Berth

Since the 2014 season, Conference Carolinas (CC) has had an automatic berth in the National Collegiate championship.

2015: Rutgers-Newark Transitions to Division III

At the end of the 2014 season, Rutgers–Newark completed its transition to Division III men's volleyball and joined the D-III Continental Volleyball Conference effective with the 2015 season.

2015: Loyola Defeats Lewis

In the 2015 final, Loyola defeated Lewis.

2016: Ohio State Defeats BYU

In the 2016 final, Ohio State defeated BYU.

2017: Previous Tournament Format

From 2014 to 2017, the tournament format involved two quarterfinal matches, with the winners joining the top two seeds in the semifinals.

2017: Ohio State Defeats BYU

In the 2017 final, Ohio State defeated BYU.

2018: Big West Adds Men's Volleyball

In the 2018 season, the Big West Conference became the first traditional D-I conference to sponsor men's volleyball.

2018: Big West Conference Sponsors Men's Volleyball

In the 2018 season, the Big West Conference, the first Division I all-sports conference, began sponsoring men's volleyball.

2018: Championship Expands to Seven Teams

With the Big West Conference adding men's volleyball for the 2018 season and qualifying for an automatic tournament berth, the championship expanded to seven teams. A "play-in" match was added.

July 2020: UC San Diego Transitions to D-I

In July 2020, UC San Diego began a transition to D-I upon joining the Big West full-time, making the Big West the first NCAA men's volleyball league to consist entirely of D-I members.

2020: Merrimack's D-I Transition

Merrimack started its D-I transition in 2020 and added a new team in the 2023 season.

2021: Division I Sponsorship Numbers

From 1986 to 2021, the number of Division I schools sponsoring men's volleyball fluctuated between 20 and 24 teams.

2021: Hawaii Defeats BYU

In the 2021 final, Hawaii defeated BYU.

2021: Big West Becomes All D-I Conference

In the 2021 season, the Big West became the first men's volleyball conference to consist entirely of D-I members, following UC San Diego's transition to Division I.

2021: SIAC's Inaugural Season Postponed

The 2021 season was intended to be the first for the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), but the conference chose not to compete that season due to COVID-19 issues.

July 2022: Lindenwood and Queens Transition to D-I

In July 2022, Lindenwood and Queens (NC) started transitions from D-II to D-I and sponsored the sport at the National Collegiate level.

2022: Increased Sponsorship Numbers

In 2022, the number of Division I men's volleyball teams increased to 26.

2023: Sponsorship Numbers

From 2023 to 2025, there were 29 Division I men's volleyball teams. In 2026, three more D-I schools will add the sport.

2023: Schools Not Returning

In 2023, Two schools that played National Collegiate men's volleyball did not return for 2024. St. Francis Brooklyn shut down its entire athletic program, and Alderson Broaddus closed entirely.

2023: Northeast Conference Sponsors Men's Volleyball

In the 2023 season, the Northeast Conference (NEC) became the second D-I all-sports conference to sponsor men's volleyball.

2023: NEC Starts Men's Volleyball Play

In the 2023 season, the Northeast Conference (NEC) started men's volleyball play with a mix of full conference members and D-II associates.

2023: New D-I Programs

In the 2023 season, three new schools started playing as D-I members, transitioning from D-II. Merrimack added a new team, and Lindenwood and Queens (NC) started transitions from D-II to D-I.

2024: Current NCAA Men's Volleyball Season

As of the 2024 NCAA men's volleyball season, there are three general regions (West, Midwest, and East) and five major conferences. The SIAC received its first automatic berth in the 2024 season. The East Coast Conference also began sponsoring men's volleyball in the 2024 season, but started play with only four members.

2024: Division II Conferences and Automatic Berths

As of the 2024 season, three Division II conferences sponsor men's volleyball at the National Collegiate level, and the SIAC received its first automatic berth in the 2024 season. The East Coast Conference began sponsoring men's volleyball in 2024.

2024: Schools Not Returning

In 2024, Two schools that played National Collegiate men's volleyball in 2023 did not return for 2024. St. Francis Brooklyn shut down its entire athletic program, and Alderson Broaddus closed entirely.

2024: D-II Rule Change

In 2024, a D-II rule change took effect, which will allow that division to launch its own men's volleyball championship in the near future should it so desire. Before 2024–25, a D-II championship in a men's sport could not be sponsored unless at least 50 schools in that division sponsored a sport; that number has now been reduced to 35.

2024: New Division II Programs

In the 2024 season, four Division II schools launched National Collegiate men's volleyball programs.

2024: Division II Schools Competing in D-I Volleyball

In the 2024 season, in addition to the 29 D-I schools, 33 Division II schools competed in D-I volleyball.

2024: Expansion to Eight Teams

The championship expanded to eight teams for 2024, coinciding with the SIAC receiving an automatic bid for the first time. All teams played at a single site in a pure knockout format in 2024.

September 8, 2025: Major Expansion Announced

On September 8, 2025, a major expansion was announced to add more at-large bids due to public outcry. The initiative was fully funded by AVCA, resulting in a 12-team tournament starting in 2026.

2025: End of 2025 Tournament

As of the end of the 2025 Tournament.

2025: Sponsorship Numbers

From 2023 to 2025, there were 29 Division I men's volleyball teams. In 2026, three more D-I schools will add the sport.

2025: Expansion to Nine Bids

In 2025, the championship expanded to nine bids with the NEC getting auto-bid status. An opening round game was added on a campus site, with the quarterfinals, semifinals, and Championship at one central site.

2025: New National Collegiate Programs

In 2025, thirteen additional schools, most of them either current Division II members or transitioning to D-II, have either added National Collegiate programs or will do so in the near future.

2026: Automatic and At-Large Bids

For the 2026 and 2027 tournaments, seven teams will receive conference's automatic bids, and five teams will receive an at-large bid.

2026: 12-Team Tournament Format

For the 2026 tournament, a 12-team format will be implemented, featuring four non-predetermined regional sites with three teams competing at each site. The winners advance to the finals site.

2026: Sponsorship Numbers

From 2023 to 2025, there were 29 Division I men's volleyball teams. In 2026, three more D-I schools will add the sport.

2026: Great Lakes Valley Conference to Add Men's Volleyball

The Great Lakes Valley Conference will add men's volleyball in the 2026 season with seven members, positioning it for an automatic bid in 2028. Northern Kentucky will also join the MIVA in 2026.

2027: Automatic and At-Large Bids

For the 2026 and 2027 tournaments, seven teams will receive conference's automatic bids, and five teams will receive an at-large bid.

2028: GLVC's Automatic Bid

The GLVC will not receive an automatic bid until at least 2028, and the ECC will not receive one until the six team requirement is met, plus two years following.