Players from Michigan with no earlier college roster elsewhere in the data filled 52% of roster spots in 2016 and 19% on the 2026 roster.
In 2016, 45 of 87 roster spots were filled by Michigan players not previously rostered elsewhere in the data. On the 2026 roster, 20 of 104 fit the same definition. The number of players previously rostered elsewhere changed from 3 to 25.
The median hometown distance moved from 127 mi in 2016 to 203 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 | 47.3% | 25.5% | |
| Previously rostered elsewhere | 4.0% | 13.9% |
The 2026 roster
- 444 miAverage hometown distanceAverage hometown distance among 99 located players.
- 22.1%In-state22.1% of players with a known home state are from Michigan.
- 14.1%Backyard14.1% of players with a located hometown grew up within 100 miles of campus.
- 24.0%Previously rostered elsewhere24.0% of the roster appeared on another college roster in an earlier season.
Where Western Michigan 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 Michigan's players come from?
| Season | Roster | In-state | Rostered elsewhere | Radius |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 104 | 22.1% | 24.0% | 203 mi |
| 2025 | 107 | 23.4% | 27.1% | 141 mi |
| 2024 | 112 | 25.9% | 17.9% | 174 mi |
| 2023 | 108 | 29.6% | 10.2% | 144 mi |
| 2022 | 112 | 29.1% | 7.1% | 135 mi |
| 2021 | 97 | 32.6% | 7.2% | 131 mi |
| 2020 | 109 | 36.1% | 4.6% | 131 mi |
| 2019 | 109 | 39.8% | 4.6% | 137 mi |
| 2018 | 108 | 44.8% | 5.6% | 133 mi |
| 2017 | 103 | 50.0% | 2.9% | 133 mi |
| 2016 | 87 | 52.9% | 3.4% | 127 mi |
| 2015 | 102 | 50.0% | 2.0% | 127 mi |
| 2014 | 111 | 51.4% | 1.8% | 124 mi |
| 2013 | 107 | 31.1% | 0.9% | 143 mi |
| 2012 | 105 | 27.2% | 0.0% | 423 mi |
| 2011 | 105 | 29.8% | 0.0% | 256 mi |
| 2010 | 103 | 24.5% | 0.0% | 196 mi |
| 2009 | 100 | 32.0% | 0.0% | 133 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: 203 mi