1981 NCAA Division I women's volleyball tournament

The 1981 NCAA Division I women's volleyball tournament was the first year that the NCAA sponsored women's volleyball, following 12 years in which the AIAW conducted the women's national intercollegiate championships. The tournament consisted of just 20 teams.

1981 NCAA women's Division I volleyball tournament
Champions	Southern California (1st NCAA (4th national) title)
Runner-up	UCLA (1st NCAA (7th national) title match)
Semifinalists	Pacific (1st Final Four) San Diego State (1st Final Four)
Winning coach	Chuck Erbe (1st title)
Final Four All-Tournament Team	Jeanne Beauprey (UCLA) Jayne Gibson (Pacific) Patty Orozco (UCLA) Linda Robertson (UCLA) Dana Smith (Southern California) Cathy Stukel (Southern California)
1982»

The Final Four was held on the campus of UCLA, where the heavily favored^[1] Bruins lost in the national title match against Southern California in five games: 9-15, 15-7, 10-15, 15-13, 15-7. Southern California finished the year 27-10.^[2]

In the consolation match, San Diego State swept Pacific, 3-0, to claim third place.

Regionals

Northwest regional

	Quarterfinals				Semifinals				Finals
					Hawaiʻi	3
					Texas A&M	0
	Pepperdine	1
	Texas A&M	3
									Hawaiʻi	1
									USC	3
					Arizona	0
					USC	3

Mideast regional

	Quarterfinals				Semifinals				Finals
					Pacific	3
					Penn State	2
	Penn State	3
	Cincinnati	0
									Pacific	3
									Cal Poly	1
					Cal Poly	3
					Northwestern	0

South regional

	Quarterfinals				Semifinals				Finals
					UCLA	3
					Purdue	2
	Purdue	3
	Tennessee	0
									UCLA	3
									Stanford	2
					Stanford	3
					Arizona State	0

West regional

	Quarterfinals				Semifinals				Finals
					San Diego State	3
					New Mexico	1
	New Mexico	3
	Miami (OH)	0
									San Diego State	3
									UC Santa Barbara	0
					BYU	2
					UC Santa Barbara	3

Final Four – Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles

	Semifinals				Finals
	UCLA	3
	San Diego State	1
					UCLA	2
					USC	3
	USC	3
	Pacific	2			Third place
					San Diego State	3
					Pacific	0

NCAA Tournament record

There is one NCAA tournament record that was set during the 1981 tournament that still stands today.

• Solo blocks, tournament (individual record) - Jayne Gibson, Pacific - 15 (2 vs. Penn State, 4 vs. Cal Poly, 6 vs. Southern California, 3 vs. San Diego State)