Before my career went to the tank, I was working on a similar study/proposal that used the current points system to decide the teams for the NCAA Regional. It applied the same criteria as we now apply to the regional.
Each conference was granted an auto. Then, using the order of finish in the conference, you fill the field for the regions. You then balance the new regions using geography as much as possible to cut travel (this is actually done with sports like golf, baseball, soccer, etc).
Run the regions and give top-2 in each region the auto and then go back and redo the regions using the current system to decide on the 32 teams to the NCAA.
With the current environment, if I were still coaching, I would be rethinking everything. This is a new world and money is gong to drive all decisions. Presidents and Athletic Directors are not coaches. They are businessmen. If I’m a coach, I’m trying to rethink everything to brand my program within the sport and within my department and community.
Everything is changing and if you’re ignoring that, you will be very disappointed, in my opinion.