Oregon State Hires Justin Joyner as New Men's Basketball Coach

Joyner, an assistant at Michigan, brings extensive experience and a track record of success to Corvallis

Mar. 11, 2026 at 8:48pm

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The Oregon State men's basketball program has hired Justin Joyner as its new head coach, replacing the departing head coach. Joyner comes to Corvallis after serving as an assistant coach at Michigan, where he helped guide the Wolverines to a Big Ten regular-season title and the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. Prior to Michigan, Joyner spent seven seasons as an assistant and associate head coach at St. Mary's under Randy Bennett, helping develop several WCC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honorees.

Why it matters

The hiring of Joyner comes at a critical time for the Oregon State men's basketball program, as the Beavers are set to transition to the new Pac-12 conference. The university leadership highlighted Joyner's strong recruiting acumen, player development skills, and commitment to connecting with student-athletes as key factors in his selection to lead the program into this new era.

The details

Joyner, who will be formally introduced on March 16th, comes to Oregon State after two seasons as an assistant coach at Michigan under Dusty May. Prior to that, he spent seven years on the staff at St. Mary's, starting as the director of basketball operations before being promoted to assistant coach and eventually associate head coach. During his time at St. Mary's, Joyner helped develop several standout players who earned WCC honors, including Jock Landale, Augustas Marciulionis, Logan Johnson, and Mitchell Saxen.

  • Joyner will be formally introduced as Oregon State's new head coach on Monday, March 16th.
  • The Beavers just wrapped up their 2025-26 season with a loss to Gonzaga in the WCC Conference Tournament.

The players

Justin Joyner

The new head coach of the Oregon State men's basketball team, who comes to Corvallis after serving as an assistant coach at Michigan and St. Mary's.

Scott Barnes

The Oregon State Athletic Director, who highlighted Joyner's commitment, passion, and energy as key factors in his hiring.

Jayathi Murthy

The Oregon State University President, who expressed delight in welcoming Joyner and supporting the program's future success.

Dusty May

The Michigan Wolverines head coach, who praised Joyner as one of the best young minds in coaching and a tremendous fit for Oregon State.

Randy Bennett

The St. Mary's head coach, who highlighted Joyner's recruiting ability and competitiveness as keys to his success at Oregon State.

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What they’re saying

“Justin has one of the best young minds in coaching. His ability to teach the game, connect with players and build a program the right way makes him a tremendous fit at Oregon State.”

— Dusty May, Michigan Wolverines Head Coach

“Justin Joyner has many outstanding qualities, but the two that I believe will be keys to success at Oregon State are his recruiting ability and his competitiveness.”

— Randy Bennett, St. Mary's Head Coach

“I'm deeply grateful for the opportunity to coach Oregon State Men's Basketball. Joining an athletic department that aligns with my beliefs and values is a dream come true.”

— Justin Joyner

What’s next

Joyner will be formally introduced as Oregon State's new head coach on Monday, March 16th.

The takeaway

The hiring of Justin Joyner as Oregon State's new men's basketball coach represents a significant investment in the program's future success. Joyner's strong track record of player development, recruiting, and program-building at Michigan and St. Mary's make him an ideal fit to lead the Beavers as they transition to the new Pac-12 conference.