Oregon State to hire Michigan assistant Justin Joyner as men’s basketball head coach: Sources

Oregon State men’s basketball is hiring Michigan assistant Justin Joyner as its next head coach, two sources briefed on the decision said.

Joyner, who is in his second season at Michigan, replaces Wayne Tinkle, who coached Oregon State the previous 12 seasons, making one NCAA Tournament (an Elite Eight in 2021). He is expected to continue coaching Michigan during its NCAA Tournament run.

The Beavers are returning to the Pac-12 next season, where Gonzaga will be king of the conference, and Joyner has success against the Zags. Before Michigan, Joyner was on Randy Bennett’s staff at Saint Mary’s for the previous seven. He was a part of six wins against Gonzaga. He was also in charge of the scouting report in November when Michigan beat Gonzaga by 40 points at the Players Era Festival.

Joyner was promoted to associate head coach for his final two years with the Gaels, when they won back-to-back WCC regular-season titles, plus the WCC tournament in 2024. Joyner moved to Michigan in 2024 when Dusty May was hired. The Wolverines are 56-12 in his two seasons and just finished off one of the most dominant Big Ten regular seasons in recent memory, going 19-1 in conference play.

The 38-year-old Joyner has plenty of West Coast ties. He played at UC Santa Barbara from 2006 to 2011 and is originally from Concord, Calif. The move allows him to be closer to his family. His wife, Tracy Joyner, just finished her first season as the women’s soccer coach at Oregon.

Tinkle was 177-206 in his 12 seasons at Oregon State, the Elite Eight run being the pinnacle. After 2021, the Beavers struggled for the next three years in the Pac-12, then moved to a temporary home in the WCC when the Pac-12 collapsed. Tinkle went 37-29 the last two years. Oregon State’s top four scorers still have eligibility and most of the rotation could potentially return.