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.

Men’s basketball teams now receive 24% of the media rights deal, which is $8.8 billion over eight years, starting this year. Women’s basketball is valued at $65 million per tournament in the NCAA’s new media rights deal with ESPN — roughly 10 times more than in the contract that ends this year.

South Carolina coach was previously No. 3 behind LSU's Kim Mulkey and UConn's Geno Auriemma at $3.1 million/year.

The move brings a level of parity with the men’s tournament and adds an incentive for schools to invest in their programs to an even greater extent.