# 1996 NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament

The 1996 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament was the 37th organized men's college soccer tournament by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, to determine the top college soccer team in the United States. The St. John's Red Storm won their first national title by defeating the Florida International Panthers in the championship game, 4–1. The semifinals on December 13, 1996, and the final on December 15, 1996, were played in Richmond, Virginia, at Richmond Stadium for the second straight year. All the other matches were played at the home field of the higher seeded team.

## National Seeds

National Seeds :
| Seed | School | Record |
| #1 | Washington | 14–2–1 |
| #2 | Florida International | 13–4–2 |
| #3 | UNC Greensboro | 21–1 |
| #4 | William & Mary | 18–2–1 |

## Early rounds

| First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | | Championship Richmond Stadium Richmond, Virginia | Championship Richmond Stadium Richmond, Virginia | Championship Richmond Stadium Richmond, Virginia |
| 1 | Washington (2OT) | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Santa Clara | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Santa Clara | 1 | 1 | Washington | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Fresno State | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | California | 1 | | Fresno State | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fresno State | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fresno State | 2 | | | | | Fresno State | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Creighton | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | Cal State Fullerton | 2 | | | | | | | | Creighton | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | UCLA | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | UCLA | 1 | | Cal State Fullerton | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Creighton (pen.) | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | SMU | 0 | | Creighton (pen.) | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Creighton | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Creighton | 2 | | | | | | | | | Creighton | 1 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | St. John's (NY) | 2 | | | | |
| | Virginia | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | St. John's (NY) | 2 | | | | |
| | George Mason | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | George Mason | 1 | | George Mason | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | St. John's (NY) | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fordham | 1 | | St. John's (NY) | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | St. John's (NY) | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | St. John's (NY) | 5 | | | | | St. John's (NY) (OT) | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 4 | William & Mary | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| | James Madison | 1 | | | | | | | 4 | William & Mary | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| | Maryland (OT) | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Maryland (OT) | 2 | | Maryland | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | William & Mary | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Army | 1 | 4 | William & Mary | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | William & Mary (4OT) | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | William & Mary (4OT) | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | St. John's (NY) | 4 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | FIU | 1 |
| 3 | UNC Greensboro | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | FIU | 1 |
| | Notre Dame | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Notre Dame | 1 | | Notre Dame | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Charlotte | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Charlotte | 3 | | Charlotte | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | College of Charleston | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | College of Charleston | 1 | | | | | Charlotte | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Hartford | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| | Boston U. | 2 | | | | | | | | Hartford | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| | Harvard | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Harvard | 3 | | Harvard | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Hartford (OT) | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Hartford (OT) | 3 | | Hartford (OT) | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Rhode Island | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Rhode Island | 2 | | | | | | | | | Charlotte | 0 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 2 | FIU | 4 | | | | |
| | Bowling Green | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | FIU | 4 | | | | |
| | Detroit | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Detroit | 0 | | Bowling Green | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Indiana | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Indiana | 4 | | Indiana | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Evansville | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Evansville | 1 | | | | | Indiana | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 2 | FIU | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| | Rutgers (OT) | 2 | | | | | | | 2 | FIU | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| | Cornell | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Cornell | 1 | | Rutgers | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 2 | FIU | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | South Florida | 1 | 2 | FIU | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | FIU | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |