In a move to help close the pay gap between men and women in college sports, the NCAA will now pay Division I women's basketball teams who play in March Madness games starting this year.

The organization approved “performance units” for women’s teams participating in March Madness after years of only paying men’s programs.

Women's basketball teams will be paid for playing games in the NCAA tournament each March, just like the men have for years, under a plan approved Wednesday at the NCAA convention.

NCAA members unanimously voted to introduce financial rewards — as it has for years with the men's tournament — starting this spring.

In a historic move, the NCAA on Wednesday approved financial rewards — or tournament “units” — for teams participating and succeeding in the Division I women’s basketball tournament.

The NCAA announced Wednesday that it has created a $15 million women's basketball fund to reward conferences for their teams making and advancing in the

After the NCAA approved revenue distribution for women’s March Madness, UConn coach Geno Auriemma called the decision “great for the future of the game.”

This was the final step toward a pay structure for women playing in March Madness after the Division I Board of Governors voted unanimously for the proposal in August. NCAA President Charlie Baker joined others in giving credit for the creation of a performance fund to those who came before and helped build women’s basketball.