CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The Columbia women’s basketball team, which plays in a small venue in Manhattan, has found itself stepping onto the grand stage of the NCAA Tournament. Alongside them, other hopeful contenders are being recognized similarly to former champions like UConn, South Carolina, and Tennessee. This year, these teams experience something unique—they’re earning financial rewards from participating.
The special attention this year includes more than just charter flights, hotel comforts, and desirable merchandise. For the first time, the women’s basketball teams receive an individual share of the event’s profits, a benefit the men have long enjoyed.
“It should be this way. We should be able to fly charter,” expressed UNC Greensboro coach Trina Patterson. For the first time, her Spartans will benefit from a charter flight. “We are all playing in the same March Madness; the treatment for the men and women should be equal. We get a unit!”
Indeed, every women’s team in the tournament is now awarded a “unit”—a source of funds allocated to conferences whenever one of its teams makes an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. These units translate to $113,000 per game for each women’s team, distributed to their respective conferences.
Last year’s tournament saw Columbia participate, but neither the Lions nor their league received any monetary reward for their involvement. Columbia coach Megan Griffith shared, “You got to start somewhere and I think we’ve been so far behind.” Changes in the tournament setup were prompted by Sedona Prince’s 2020 video highlighting disparities between the men’s and women’s tournaments.
Coach Patterson has significant experience from her days as both a player at Virginia and an assistant at Stanford alongside Tara VanDerveer. Now leading UNCG, Patterson’s team enjoys the luxury of a cross-country charter flight from Greensboro to Los Angeles to face first-seeded Southern California. It’s UNCG’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1998.
William & Mary is also experiencing new opportunities, entering the tournament for the first time with the potential to earn two financial units. They face High Point in a play-in game, with a possible matchup against top-seeded Texas should they advance.
“Women’s basketball has been advocating for equality for a long time,” said William & Mary coach Erin Dickerson Davis. With years of experience at several universities, she appreciates the progress being made: “I played college basketball, it’s a long time coming.”
For William & Mary, it’s the inaugural trip to March Madness for both their men’s and women’s teams. “Everyone is excited about the experience,” remarked Davis. “It’s a business trip, but having these new experiences is special.”
Columbia players share similar sentiments. They didn’t travel to Chapel Hill for leisure—they’re there to compete. Yet, they’re also savoring each moment. “It was cool going to the charter, and we’ve been taking it all in,” said junior Perri Page. “But it’s a business trip, and we have a goal in mind.”
Their journey to the tournament was filled with anticipation, from the bus ride to Newark Airport to their prideful charter flight and the exhilaration of claiming tournament apparel. While a significant game awaits them on Thursday night, the experience thus far has been rewarding.
Perri Page continued, “We’ve been enjoying the whole season. It’s great we can make money for the school now.”
Coach Trina Patterson encapsulated the sentiment of this new era, stating, “It’s great for women’s basketball.”