Michigan Basketball Assistant Set To Be Next Head Coach at Oregon State

The Wolverines assistant is reportedly set to take over the Beavers program, marking the first head coaching opportunity of his career after two seasons in Ann Arbor.

Michigan assistant coach Justin Joyner and head coach Dusty May signal players during a play against Northwestern in the overtime at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On Wednesday afternoon (March 11), Pete Thamel of ESPN reported that Oregon State is set to hire Michigan Assistant Justin Joyner to be the next head basketball coach of the Beavers.

NEWS: Oregon State is expected to hire Michigan assistant Justin Joyner as its next head coach, sources told me @jeffborzello. Joyner, who has strong West Coast ties, has been with Dusty May the last two seasons after spending seven seasons at Saint Mary's under Randy Bennett. pic.twitter.com/qzYUrw0YwC

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) March 11, 2026

The news didn’t come as a huge surprise, as rumors began earlier this week that Joyner was a potential frontrunner for the position.

Former OSU head coach Wayne Tinkle was with the Beavers for 12 years and finished his final season with the program 16-14 overall, while going 9-8 in West Coast Conference action.

The good news for Wolverine fans, is that Joyner is expected to remain with UofM through postseason play, per Clayton Sayfie of The Wolverine.

Justin Joyner is expected to remain with Michigan through the postseason.

This job makes a ton of sense for Joyner, whose wife, Tracy, is the head women's soccer coach at Oregon. Corvallis and Eugene are less than an hour away. https://t.co/qYM8Saj9Gf

— Clayton Sayfie (@CSayf23) March 11, 2026

"We are grateful to Wayne for his dedication to Oregon State and for the leadership he has provided our men's basketball program," Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes said in a statement. "He has represented Beaver Nation with integrity and commitment. As we approach the dawn of the new Pac-12 era, we believe it is in the best interest of our men's basketball program to transition to its next chapter. These decisions are never easy, but we are focused on positioning our program for sustained success in a rapidly evolving collegiate athletics landscape."

For Joyner, he spent the last two seasons in Ann Arbor with head coach Dusty May and the Wolverines. Joyner already has WCC ties, as he came to the Maize and Blue after serving on the Saint Mary’s College men’s basketball coaching staff for seven years.

From left, Michigan assistant coach/Director of Player Development Drew Williamson, assistant coach Justin Joyner, assistant coach/general manager Kyle Church, head coach Dusty May, assistant coach Akeem Miskdeen and assistant coach Mike Boynton Jr. watch a play against Cleveland State during the second half at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While with the Gaels, he spent one season as the director of basketball operations and four seasons as an assistant coach before being promoted to associate head coach heading into the 202-23 campaign. In his two years in the role, the Gaels found major success, going 53-16 in that timespan and winning two West Coast Conference regular season championships and helped lead the squad to two NCAA Tournament appearances. 

Prior to coaching, Joyner played at UC Santa Barbara, appearing in 112 games from 2006-2011. Once Joyner officially joins the Beavers, it will mark the first head coaching job of his career.