October 17, 1972 United Soccer Coaches Poll
| Rank | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Howard |
| 2 | Saint Louis |
| 3 | Hartwick |
| 4 | Missouri-St. Louis |
| 5 | Penn |
| 6 | Penn State |
| 7 | San Jose State |
| 8 | Bridgeport |
| 9 | SIU-Edwardsville |
| 10 | Harvard |
| 11 | UCLA |
| 12 | Brown |
| 13 | Quincy |
| 14 | Cornell |
| 15 | Long Island |
| 16 | West Virginia |
| 17 | East Stroudsburg |
| 18 | Chico State |
| 18 | Army |
| 20 | Clemson |