Oregon State has its next head coach.
The Beavers are hiring Michigan assistant Justin Joyner to lead the men’s basketball program, turning to a rising name in the coaching world as the program begins a new chapter following the departure of longtime head coach Wayne Tinkle.
Joyner spent the past two seasons on Dusty May’s staff at Michigan and played an important role in the Wolverines’ resurgence. Now he gets his first opportunity to run a Division I program, taking over an Oregon State team looking to regain stability and momentum.
The move also brings Joyner back to the West Coast, where he built much of his coaching resume.
A steady rise through the coaching ranks
Joyner’s path to a head coaching job has been built over years of work at several levels of the sport.
After finishing his playing career at UC Santa Barbara, where he served as a three-time team captain, Joyner began his coaching journey working in player development while also gaining experience on the AAU circuit.
His break into college basketball came in 2017 when he joined Randy Bennett’s staff at Saint Mary’s as the program’s director of basketball operations. Within a year he was promoted to assistant coach and eventually became associate head coach.
During Joyner’s seven seasons with the Gaels, Saint Mary’s established itself as one of the most consistent programs on the West Coast. The Gaels posted a 171-60 record during that stretch and frequently battled Gonzaga for the West Coast Conference title.
Those results helped elevate Joyner’s reputation as one of the sport’s most respected young assistants.
Immediate impact at Michigan
Joyner arrived at Michigan in 2024 as part of Dusty May’s staff when May took over the Wolverines program.
His influence was felt quickly.
Michigan won the Big Ten Tournament in Joyner’s first season in Ann Arbor and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. The Wolverines followed that up with an even stronger campaign this season, finishing with one of the best records in the country and capturing the Big Ten regular season title.
Joyner also played a major role on the defensive side of the ball, helping Michigan finish among the top defensive teams in the nation according to advanced metrics.
Across his two seasons with the Wolverines, Michigan compiled a 56-12 record.
A move that brings Joyner closer to family
The Oregon State job also makes sense on a personal level.
Joyner’s wife, Tracy Joyner, is the head women’s soccer coach at Oregon. The move to Corvallis places the couple in the same state while allowing Joyner to take the next step in his coaching career.
Joyner is expected to remain with Michigan through the NCAA Tournament before officially beginning his new role with the Beavers.
A new era begins in Corvallis
Joyner replaces Wayne Tinkle, who spent 12 seasons leading Oregon State.
Tinkle guided the Beavers to one of the program’s greatest moments when Oregon State reached the Elite Eight during the 2021 NCAA Tournament. However, the program struggled to maintain that success in recent seasons.
Now Oregon State turns to Joyner to help build the next phase of the program.
With strong recruiting ties on the West Coast and experience working with successful programs at both Saint Mary’s and Michigan, Joyner arrives in Corvallis with momentum and opportunity.
For the first time in his career, the program will be his to lead.