NIU will soon be going to the bank, courtesy of the AMCU Conference and the NIU women’s basketball team.

NIU, as a member of the Association of Mid-Continent Universities, is entitled to a share of the proceeds from the conferences’ winnings in the NCAA men’s tournament. NIU is also entitled to a share of the AMCU money earned at the post-season National Invitational Tournament.

Some money is also coming NIU’s way from the NCAA women’s tournament, in which the Huskies advanced to the second round. The exact amount of the money has yet to be determined.

No matter what the final amount is, the windfall is a pleasant bonus for the schools participating. “It’s a good chunk of money,” said Keith Hackett, NIU associate athletic director. “It can only help the schools involved.”

Each team participating in the men’s NCAA’s received $286,500 per-round. The AMCUs’ Southwest Missouri State and Northern Iowa made the tournament, with UNI advancing to the second round. The conference will receive $859,500, with the exact share that will go to each school not yet determined.

The amount given to each AMCU school will be decided by the university presidents, with proposals on how to divide the money coming from school athletic directors. If NIU were to receive a 1/12th share, a figure that has been put forth as a reasonable possibility, NIU’s cut would be over $63,000.

The money given by the NCAA goes directly to the universities, who then determine how the money will be spent on an individual basis. At NIU, how the men’s NCAA tournament money will be used has been already decided.

“Anything we get,” Hackett said, “will go right back to pay initiation fees and (AMCU) conference dues.”

The amount of money earned from the womens’ tournament and the NIT will not be determined until all accounting is finalized, which is not expected to happen until at least May.