The Liberty roster story
In 2018, 19 of 100 roster spots were filled by Virginia players not previously rostered elsewhere in the data. On the 2026 roster, 13 of 104 fit the same definition. The number of players previously rostered elsewhere changed from 3 to 38.
The median hometown distance moved from 431 mi in 2018 to 397 mi on the 2026 roster. The reliable geography record begins in 1976. Among players with a known home state, 10% were from Virginia, compared with 17% on the 2026 roster.
Before and during the portal era
2016–18 compared with 2021–25
- In-state, not rostered elsewhere
- Previously rostered elsewhere
| Measure | 2016–18 | 2021–25 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-state, not rostered elsewhere | 19.0% | 12.9% | |
| Previously rostered elsewhere | 3.0% | 20.7% |
The 2026 roster
- 488 miAverage hometown distanceAverage hometown distance among 103 located players.
- 17.3%In-state17.3% of players with a known home state are from Virginia.
- 8.7%Backyard8.7% of players with a located hometown grew up within 100 miles of campus.
- 36.5%Previously rostered elsewhere36.5% of the roster appeared on another college roster in an earlier season.
Where Liberty ranks
Homecoming Radius over time
The median hometown-to-campus distance, by season. The dotted line is the FBS median.
Roster composition over time
Where the in-state lens draws the line: home-state players with and without an earlier college roster, out-of-state players with and without one, and players with unknown geography. This chart begins where stable athlete IDs make transfer detection possible; the radius chart above carries the official-archive geography farther back.
Where do Liberty's players come from?
| Season | Roster | In-state | Rostered elsewhere | Radius |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 104 | 17.3% | 36.5% | 397 mi |
| 2025 | 107 | 13.1% | 33.6% | 393 mi |
| 2024 | 118 | 13.7% | 28.8% | 371 mi |
| 2023 | 117 | 11.2% | 22.2% | 399 mi |
| 2022 | 115 | 16.5% | 11.3% | 385 mi |
| 2021 | 122 | 18.3% | 7.4% | 375 mi |
| 2020 | 115 | 19.6% | 8.7% | 385 mi |
| 2019 | 121 | 21.8% | 4.1% | 406 mi |
| 2018 | 100 | 19.6% | 3.0% | 431 mi |
| 2017archive | 95 | 26.9% | — | 320 mi |
| 2016archive | 93 | 30.4% | — | 262 mi |
| 2015archive | 101 | 31.3% | — | 242 mi |
| 2014archive | 75 | 31.5% | — | 223 mi |
| 2012archive | 82 | 36.3% | — | 178 mi |
| 2011archive | 103 | 45.5% | — | 165 mi |
| 2010archive | 103 | 52.5% | — | 157 mi |
| 2009archive | 98 | 42.1% | — | 180 mi |
| 2008archive | 99 | 40.6% | — | 223 mi |
| 2007archive | 96 | 36.2% | — | 249 mi |
| 2006archive | 88 | 24.4% | — | 353 mi |
| 2005archive | 89 | 28.7% | 59.6% proxy | 295 mi |
| 2004archive | 91 | 28.9% | 18.7% proxy | 280 mi |
| 2003archive | 92 | 21.7% | 8.7% proxy | 329 mi |
| 2002archive | 87 | 25.3% | 3.4% proxy | 281 mi |
| 2001archive | 88 | 29.5% | 0.0% proxy | 249 mi |
| 2000archive | 76 | 25.3% | 0.0% proxy | 281 mi |
| 1999archive | 83 | 17.3% | 1.2% proxy | 252 mi |
| 1998archive | 83 | 13.8% | 0.0% proxy | 257 mi |
| 1997archive | 92 | 22.0% | 0.0% proxy | 257 mi |
| 1996archive | 85 | 18.1% | 0.0% proxy | 283 mi |
| 1995archive | 80 | 16.3% | 0.0% proxy | 316 mi |
| 1994archive | 87 | 18.6% | 0.0% proxy | 384 mi |
| 1993archive | 88 | 15.9% | 0.0% proxy | 402 mi |
| 1992archive | 98 | 17.7% | 0.0% proxy | 414 mi |
| 1991archive | 87 | 22.4% | 0.0% proxy | 529 mi |
| 1990archive | 82 | 22.2% | 1.2% proxy | 505 mi |
| 1989archive | 99 | 41.8% | 2.0% proxy | 241 mi |
| 1988archive | 105 | 36.5% | 1.0% proxy | 361 mi |
| 1987archive | 97 | 34.4% | 1.0% proxy | 356 mi |
| 1986archive | 85 | 35.3% | 1.2% proxy | 325 mi |
| 1985archive | 98 | 36.7% | 1.0% proxy | 330 mi |
| 1984archive | 95 | 33.7% | 1.1% proxy | 282 mi |
| 1983archive | 87 | 23.0% | 0.0% proxy | 385 mi |
| 1982archive | 96 | 28.1% | 0.0% proxy | 372 mi |
| 1981archive | 101 | 21.0% | 0.0% proxy | 379 mi |
| 1980archive | 105 | 21.4% | 0.0% proxy | 380 mi |
| 1979archive | 107 | 12.6% | 0.0% proxy | 385 mi |
| 1978archive | 88 | 15.7% | 0.0% proxy | 385 mi |
| 1977archive‡ | 69 | 4.7% | 0.0% proxy | 385 mi |
| 1976archive | 73 | 10.1% | 0.0% proxy | 385 mi |
In-state shares use players with a known home state. Radius uses located hometowns.
‡ fewer than 70 roster rows or under 75% known home state. Treat with caution.
archive = official athletic-site roster. “Proxy” is the share listing a previous school where that field behaved like a transfer field; it is not the same measure as the share previously rostered elsewhere.
Where the roster grew up
Located hometowns on the 2026 roster, with campus marked and the Homecoming Radius circled.
Homecoming Radius: 397 mi