Three years after its founding, the women’s basketball club team has the potential to be recognized by the university.

Club Sports Council will take a vote in October to decide if the club can become official. If approved, the team would be eligible to receive funding by the school.

“Unfortunately for us, at this point in the year the club sports money is already allocated out meaning our team must wait yet another school year to receive any funding,” club president Morgan Page said.

Page founded the team in 2009, and said she has put a lot of effort into changing the team into a club sport.

Once the team starts receiving funding, it will have to earn “budget points” in a tier system. Budget points equate to the amount of money the team will be funded.

“The funding will go towards team equipment, hotel fees, tournament fees and league fees,” Page said.

The team has to develop other ways of receiving money to offset fees.

“Without school funding it’s all on us,” team Vice President Lauren McKellop said. “We do some fundraising to get money but mostly it’s all out of pocket.”

McKellop believes being a club sport may increase membership because being on the team will not cost as much as it did in the past as well as other benefits.

“We can book a practice on campus and host tournaments,” club Treasurer Murphy Doyen said.

If the team can book a facility, they will be able to host a tournament this year for the East Coast Women’s Club Basketball League Conference.

Former Vice President Melinda Scott said becoming a club sport has attracted more members to the team then did in the past.

“More girls have been asking for information about our team and coming to practices,” Scott said.

The team’s first conference play will be at Wake Forest University to compete against the Deacons, Old Dominion, UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke on Sept. 15 and 16.

Story: WILL ROONEY, Intern Sports Reporter