In the 64-team bracket the automatic berths will be awarded to one half the number of schools in the conference (do not round up) plus one. Example: 7 schools in conference equals 3.5; drop the .5, add 1; will be awarded 4 automatic berths. Once all the automatic berths are determined wildcards if necessary will be determined by looking at the next school in the conference that did not get an automatic berth. Wildcards will be based on overall winning percentrage, not including the conference tournment and will place with geography in mind.

In the 48-team bracket conferences with five or more school will recieve three berths, while conferences with four or less schools will recieve one berth. There will be 8 byes with other berths will go to wild card teams determined by look at the next school in the conference that did not get an automatic berth. Wildcards will be based on overall winning percentrage, not including the conference tournment and will place with geography in mind.

In the 32-team bracket conferences with five or more schools will recieve two berths, while conferences with four or less schools will recieve one berth. Other berths will go to wild card teams determined by looking at the next school in the conference that did not get an automatic berth. Wildcards will be based on overall winning percentrage, not including the conference tournment and will place with geography in mind.

In the 1A, independent schools will have a playoff representative via a tournament and then that school will have a play-in at the wild card located closest geographically to that team.

Notes:
- If multiple teams tie for playoff berths, the NCHSAA tie-breaker procedure will be used to break the tie.
- In sports where conference tournaments are played, the number one seed from a conference will be the regular season champion, with the number two seed (if two berths are guaranteed) the conference tournament winner. If a team below number two in the conference wins the tournament, it becomes the number two seed.
- Conference tournametns in basketball, if played, shall end on Friday night.
- Wild card berths will be based on the best overall winning percentage, including all regular season games. Wild cards will be placed on the brackets with geography in mind.
- Schools from the same conference may meet in the first round.
- Any time equal seeds meet, follow the seeding priority designated on the brackets, WC will not host.