Roster turnover · 2024–25 → 2025–26
Which college basketball programs have the most roster turnover? New players and early departures, by program
Across 955 NCAA men's basketball programs listed at strength in both 2024–25 and 2025–26, the median roster was 64% new players in Division I, 54% in Division II and 44% in Division III. 572 programs replaced half their roster or more; Northern Illinois replaced the most, 16 of 16 (100%). Of 8,872 underclassmen listed in 2024–25, 49% were not on the same roster in 2025–26, and 46% of those surfaced on another roster we hold.
Computed from 31,210 player-seasons · 2024–25 to 2025–26 · updated Sep 18, 2026
572 programs replaced at least half their roster in one offseason.
The table ranks every program by the share of its 2025–26 roster that was not on its 2024–25 roster — graduation, transfers out, cuts and walk-ons who did not return, all together. At the top: Northern Illinois (16 of 16 new). By division, the most turnover is Northern Illinois in D1 (100%), Maryville (MO) in D2 (100%) and McMurry in D3 (95%).
The typical roster is 64% new in D1, 54% in D2, 44% in D3.
These are the class-breakdown page's own medians, computed the same way on the same programs. A program far above its division's median is rebuilding, not reloading; a recruit reading a coach's "we have spots" can check it here.
49% of last season's underclassmen did not return to the same roster — and 46% of those are on another roster we hold.
A departure with eligibility left is churn, not the calendar. Of 8,872 freshmen, sophomores and juniors listed in 2024–25 at these programs, 4,387 were not on the same roster in 2025–26; 2,023 surfaced on another NCAA roster we hold, the rest on none (junior college, NAIA, overseas, or out of the game). The "Left early" column is that count per program.
Share of a roster that is new this season, by division
Median program
955 programs at strength both seasons
A program is counted when its roster lists at least 8 players in both seasons.
The 25 programs with the largest share of new players · 2024–25 → 2025–26
All divisions| # | Program | State | Div | Conference | Listed now | New | Share new | Left early |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern Illinois | Illinois | D1 | Horizon League | 16 | 16 | 100% | 14 |
| 2 | Arkansas State | Arkansas | D1 | Sun Belt Conference | 15 | 15 | 100% | 10 |
| 3 | Cleveland State | Ohio | D1 | Horizon League | 15 | 15 | 100% | 10 |
| 4 | Murray State | Kentucky | D1 | Missouri Valley Conference | 15 | 15 | 100% | 10 |
| 5 | Sacramento State | California | D1 | Big West Conference | 15 | 15 | 100% | 12 |
| 6 | Central Michigan | Michigan | D1 | Mid-American Conference | 14 | 14 | 100% | 14 |
| 7 | Maryville (MO) | Missouri | D2 | Great Lakes Valley Conference | 14 | 14 | 100% | 6 |
| 8 | Memphis | Tennessee | D1 | American Conference | 14 | 14 | 100% | 6 |
| 9 | New Mexico | New Mexico | D1 | Mountain West Conference | 14 | 14 | 100% | 12 |
| 10 | North Texas | Texas | D1 | American Conference | 12 | 12 | 100% | 8 |
| 11 | Queens (NC) | North Carolina | D1 | Atlantic Sun Conference | 9 | 9 | 100% | 7 |
| 12 | McMurry | Texas | D3 | American Southwest Conference | 22 | 21 | 95% | 10 |
| 13 | Miles | Alabama | D2 | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 20 | 19 | 95% | 9 |
| 14 | Lincoln Memorial | Tennessee | D2 | South Atlantic Conference | 18 | 17 | 94% | 9 |
| 15 | Georgia Southern | Georgia | D1 | Sun Belt Conference | 17 | 16 | 94% | 6 |
| 16 | La Salle | Pennsylvania | D1 | Atlantic 10 Conference | 17 | 16 | 94% | 9 |
| 17 | Texas A&M | Texas | D1 | Southeastern Conference | 17 | 16 | 94% | 6 |
| 18 | Baylor | Texas | D1 | Big 12 Conference | 16 | 15 | 94% | 9 |
| 19 | Maryland | Maryland | D1 | Big Ten Conference | 16 | 15 | 94% | 8 |
| 20 | Purdue Northwest | Indiana | D2 | Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 16 | 15 | 94% | 9 |
| 21 | Cal State San Bernardino | California | D2 | California Collegiate Athletic Association | 15 | 14 | 93% | 2 |
| 22 | UAB | Alabama | D1 | American Conference | 15 | 14 | 93% | 6 |
| 23 | UNLV | Nevada | D1 | Mountain West Conference | 15 | 14 | 93% | 11 |
| 24 | West Virginia | West Virginia | D1 | Big 12 Conference | 15 | 14 | 93% | 7 |
| 25 | Western Illinois | Illinois | D1 | Ohio Valley Conference | 15 | 14 | 93% | 9 |
The 10 D1 programs with the most turnover · 2024–25 → 2025–26
Division 1| # | Program | State | Div | Conference | Listed now | New | Share new | Left early |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern Illinois | Illinois | D1 | Horizon League | 16 | 16 | 100% | 14 |
| 2 | Arkansas State | Arkansas | D1 | Sun Belt Conference | 15 | 15 | 100% | 10 |
| 3 | Cleveland State | Ohio | D1 | Horizon League | 15 | 15 | 100% | 10 |
| 4 | Murray State | Kentucky | D1 | Missouri Valley Conference | 15 | 15 | 100% | 10 |
| 5 | Sacramento State | California | D1 | Big West Conference | 15 | 15 | 100% | 12 |
| 6 | Central Michigan | Michigan | D1 | Mid-American Conference | 14 | 14 | 100% | 14 |
| 7 | Memphis | Tennessee | D1 | American Conference | 14 | 14 | 100% | 6 |
| 8 | New Mexico | New Mexico | D1 | Mountain West Conference | 14 | 14 | 100% | 12 |
| 9 | North Texas | Texas | D1 | American Conference | 12 | 12 | 100% | 8 |
| 10 | Queens (NC) | North Carolina | D1 | Atlantic Sun Conference | 9 | 9 | 100% | 7 |
The 10 D2 programs with the most turnover · 2024–25 → 2025–26
Division 2| # | Program | State | Div | Conference | Listed now | New | Share new | Left early |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryville (MO) | Missouri | D2 | Great Lakes Valley Conference | 14 | 14 | 100% | 6 |
| 2 | Miles | Alabama | D2 | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 20 | 19 | 95% | 9 |
| 3 | Lincoln Memorial | Tennessee | D2 | South Atlantic Conference | 18 | 17 | 94% | 9 |
| 4 | Purdue Northwest | Indiana | D2 | Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 16 | 15 | 94% | 9 |
| 5 | Cal State San Bernardino | California | D2 | California Collegiate Athletic Association | 15 | 14 | 93% | 2 |
| 6 | Converse | South Carolina | D2 | Conference Carolinas | 14 | 13 | 93% | 4 |
| 7 | Missouri Western | Missouri | D2 | Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association | 13 | 12 | 92% | 5 |
| 8 | Allen | South Carolina | D2 | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 18 | 16 | 89% | 14 |
| 9 | Arkansas Tech | Arkansas | D2 | Great American Conference | 18 | 16 | 89% | 7 |
| 10 | West Liberty | West Virginia | D2 | Mountain East Conference | 16 | 14 | 88% | 6 |
The 10 D3 programs with the most turnover · 2024–25 → 2025–26
Division 3| # | Program | State | Div | Conference | Listed now | New | Share new | Left early |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | McMurry | Texas | D3 | American Southwest Conference | 22 | 21 | 95% | 10 |
| 2 | Piedmont | Georgia | D3 | Collegiate Conference of the South | 11 | 10 | 91% | 5 |
| 3 | Whittier | California | D3 | Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 14 | 11 | 79% | 5 |
| 4 | Dean | Massachusetts | D3 | Great Northeast Athletic Conference | 18 | 14 | 78% | 6 |
| 5 | MUW | Mississippi | D3 | St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 9 | 7 | 78% | 6 |
| 6 | Bridgewater | Virginia | D3 | Old Dominion Athletic Conference | 16 | 12 | 75% | 6 |
| 7 | Johnson & Wales | Rhode Island | D3 | Conference of New England | 16 | 12 | 75% | 7 |
| 8 | Penn State Abington | Pennsylvania | D3 | United East Conference | 16 | 12 | 75% | 5 |
| 9 | Trine | Indiana | D3 | Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association | 16 | 12 | 75% | 5 |
| 10 | Brockport | New York | D3 | Empire 8 | 12 | 9 | 75% | 8 |
Turnover across every program at strength both seasons · 2024–25 → 2025–26
By division| Division | Programs | Median share new | Underclassmen last season | Left early | Of those, on another roster we hold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D1 | 351 | 64% | 3,387 | 58% | 68% |
| D2 | 258 | 54% | 2,285 | 53% | 39% |
| D3 | 346 | 44% | 3,200 | 38% | 18% |
How to read the table
"New" counts players on the 2025–26 roster who were not on the same program's 2024–25 roster, whatever the reason; "Share new" is that over every player listed now. "Left early" counts players the 2024–25 roster listed as a freshman, sophomore or junior who are not on this roster now — under the same class-label rule as the class-breakdown page.
A program appears only when its roster lists at least 8 players in BOTH seasons (98 left out for a shorter listing in one of them); a roster we failed to collect one year would otherwise read as a whole team departing at once. The order is by the share, then by the count, then by name. Programs are named; players never are.
Which seasons these are, and when they change
2024–25 against 2025–26 — the newest season Depth Chart holds complete enough to count, against the one before it. When the next season's rosters are complete, the page is redrafted from them the same night.
What this means for a recruit
How to read itHigh turnover cuts both ways.
A program at the top of this list has spots opening every year — and a roster where making it is not the same as keeping it. Ask why last year's freshmen left before you are one.
The median is the honest baseline.
Roughly 64% of a D1 roster, 54% of a D2 roster and 44% of a D3 roster turns over in a normal year. A coach promising openings is describing the median, not a favor.
'Left early' is the number to ask about.
Graduation is the calendar. A player who left as a freshman, sophomore or junior chose to, or was moved on. A program where that number is high every year is telling you something.
See where you fit — free
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Methodology
Source · sample · scope31,210 player-seasons · 1,060 programs · 2024–25 to 2025–26
Definitions and scope
- Source
- Official 2024–25 and 2025–26 rosters published by the athletics sites of NCAA D1, D2 and D3 men's basketball programs, collected by Depth Chart.
- New player
- On this season's roster and not on the same program's roster the season before — by player id, or by the same name on the same roster, so a player our records re-minted under a new id is not read as a departure and an arrival. Derived from the rosters in sequence, never from a roster's own transfer label.
- Left early
- Listed as a freshman, sophomore or junior last season and not on the same roster this season. A senior or graduate who leaves is the calendar, not churn.
- Programs
- Every program listed at strength (8+ players) in both seasons; 955 qualify. Names follow the school pages' display rule.
- Median
- The middle program's share, by division, computed as on the class-breakdown page; a cell under 30 programs is not shown.
- Sample
- 31,210 player-seasons at the ranked programs across the two seasons.
- Computed
- Sep 18, 2026 · methodology 2026-08-28.1
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