Players from Washington with no earlier college roster elsewhere in the data filled 29% of roster spots in 2016 and 20% on the 2026 roster.
In 2016, 33 of 114 roster spots were filled by Washington players not previously rostered elsewhere in the data. On the 2026 roster, 21 of 105 fit the same definition. The number of players previously rostered elsewhere changed from 0 to 24.
The median hometown distance moved from 737 mi in 2016 to 878 mi 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 | 24.2% | 26.9% | |
| Previously rostered elsewhere | 0.6% | 10.3% |
The 2026 roster
- 967 miAverage hometown distanceAverage hometown distance among 99 located players.
- 20.0%In-state20.0% of players with a known home state are from Washington.
- 5.1%Backyard5.1% of players with a located hometown grew up within 100 miles of campus.
- 22.9%Previously rostered elsewhere22.9% of the roster appeared on another college roster in an earlier season.
Where Washington State 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 Washington State's players come from?
| Season | Roster | In-state | Rostered elsewhere | Radius |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 105 | 20.0% | 22.9% | 878 mi |
| 2025 | 119 | 23.5% | 12.6% | 938 mi |
| 2024 | 122 | 32.0% | 8.2% | 663 mi |
| 2023 | 124 | 33.9% | 12.1% | 733 mi |
| 2022 | 121 | 29.4% | 10.7% | 735 mi |
| 2021 | 130 | 27.0% | 7.7% | 785 mi |
| 2020 | 157 | 28.1% | 2.5% | 820 mi |
| 2019 | 129 | 24.6% | 3.1% | 873 mi |
| 2018 | 108 | 20.4% | 1.9% | 878 mi |
| 2017 | 111 | 24.5% | 0.0% | 875 mi |
| 2016 | 114 | 29.5% | 0.0% | 737 mi |
| 2015 | 127 | 29.9% | 0.8% | 791 mi |
| 2014 | 111 | 32.4% | 0.9% | 674 mi |
| 2013 | 113 | 38.1% | 0.0% | 680 mi |
| 2012 | 114 | 33.3% | 0.0% | 681 mi |
| 2011 | 121 | 41.3% | 0.0% | 614 mi |
| 2010 | 112 | 48.2% | 0.0% | 291 mi |
| 2009 | 108 | 50.9% | 0.0% | 277 mi |
In-state shares use players with a known home state. Radius uses located hometowns.
Where the roster grew up
Located hometowns on the 2026 roster, with campus marked and the Homecoming Radius circled.
Homecoming Radius: 878 mi