Players from Kentucky with no earlier college roster elsewhere in the data filled 39% of roster spots in 2016 and 5% on the 2026 roster.
In 2016, 41 of 105 roster spots were filled by Kentucky players not previously rostered elsewhere in the data. On the 2026 roster, 5 of 106 fit the same definition. The number of players previously rostered elsewhere changed from 3 to 36.
The median hometown distance moved from 233 mi in 2016 to 347 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 | 38.2% | 12.8% | |
| Previously rostered elsewhere | 1.9% | 27.3% |
The 2026 roster
- 478 miAverage hometown distanceAverage hometown distance among 102 located players.
- 5.7%In-state5.7% of players with a known home state are from Kentucky.
- 6.9%Backyard6.9% of players with a located hometown grew up within 100 miles of campus.
- 34.0%Previously rostered elsewhere34.0% of the roster appeared on another college roster in an earlier season.
Where Western Kentucky 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 Western Kentucky's players come from?
| Season | Roster | In-state | Rostered elsewhere | Radius |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 106 | 5.7% | 34.0% | 347 mi |
| 2025 | 104 | 9.6% | 42.3% | 469 mi |
| 2024 | 113 | 14.2% | 26.5% | 403 mi |
| 2023 | 114 | 16.7% | 23.7% | 329 mi |
| 2022 | 112 | 15.3% | 21.4% | 310 mi |
| 2021 | 107 | 14.6% | 22.4% | 272 mi |
| 2020 | 112 | 25.9% | 6.3% | 252 mi |
| 2019 | 106 | 33.0% | 4.7% | 252 mi |
| 2018 | 109 | 34.9% | 0.9% | 244 mi |
| 2017 | 106 | 41.5% | 1.9% | 213 mi |
| 2016 | 105 | 39.0% | 2.9% | 233 mi |
| 2015 | 113 | 37.2% | 1.8% | 240 mi |
| 2014 | 111 | 29.7% | 0.0% | 252 mi |
| 2013 | 102 | 25.5% | 0.0% | 265 mi |
| 2012 | 105 | 24.8% | 0.0% | 252 mi |
| 2011 | 103 | 23.3% | 0.0% | 263 mi |
| 2010 | 101 | 32.7% | 0.0% | 193 mi |
| 2009 | 107 | 39.3% | 0.9% | 130 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: 347 mi