Held on November 27, 1961, the meet was hosted by Michigan State University at the Forest Akers East Golf Course in East Lansing, Michigan.
All NCAA University Division members were eligible to qualify for the meet.
In total, 17 teams and 134 individual runners contested this championship.
[1] The team national championship was won by the Oregon State Beavers, their first.
The individual championship was won by Dale Story, also from Oregon State, with a time of 19:46.84.