After its men’s basketball team captured the national championship in thrilling fashion, Villanova can expect a flood of applications, writes Brad Tuttle of Money magazine.

According to Tuttle, the link between success in a college’s sports programs and its student applications is well-chronicled. However, the impact is stronger when small private schools like Villanova achieve exposure on the national stage.

With more applications, colleges can be more selective with acceptances. The result is higher “quality” students and an overall better reputation for the college in the future.

When Villanova last reached the NCAA tournament Final Four in 2009, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the university received the equivalent of $6 million in free media publicity.

Considering that the school didn’t reach the final game, let alone win the championship that year, the 2016 basketball bonus felt by Villanova will be far greater.

Strong performances in the NCAA Tournament by schools like George Mason, Wichita State, Butler, and Gonzaga have also been correlated with big increases in student applications. Rises of 81 percent at Wichita State and 41 percent at Butler were reported following years they made the Final Four. The free media exposure granted to Butler and George Mason during their runs in the Big Dance have been estimated at a staggering $450 million and $677 million, respectively.

Click here to read more about the financial effects of Villanova’s basketball championship on Money.