Oregon State has parted ways with head coach after 12 seasons leading the Beavers.
During his time in Corvallis, he guided Oregon State to two NCAA Tournament appearances, highlighted by a memorable run to the Elite Eight in 2021 after the Beavers captured the Pac-12 Tournament championship.
This season, Oregon State holds a 16–14 overall record and is 9–8 in West Coast Conference play. The Beavers will wrap up the regular season Saturday at Santa Clara before heading to Las Vegas for the WCC Tournament next week.
Tinkle, who graduated from Ferris High School in Spokane, has the option to remain with the team through the end of the season, though he has not yet made a decision on whether he will do so.
“We are grateful to Wayne for his dedication to Oregon State and for the leadership he has provided our men’s basketball program,” athletic director Scott Barnes said in a statement. “He has represented Beaver Nation with integrity and commitment. As we approach the start of a new Pac-12 era, we believe it is in the best interest of our men’s basketball program to begin a new chapter. Decisions like this are never easy, but our focus is on positioning the program for long-term success in the rapidly changing landscape of college athletics.”
Tinkle compiled a 175–204 record during his tenure with the Beavers. Before arriving at Oregon State, he served as head coach at Montana, where he led the Grizzlies to three NCAA Tournament appearances over eight seasons.
The university said it will immediately begin a nationwide search for its next head coach.
Whoever takes over will lead the Beavers into a reshaped Pac-12 Conference. After the league effectively collapsed during the 2023 wave of conference realignment—leaving Oregon State and Washington State as the only remaining members—the Pac-12 is set to relaunch next year. The rebuilt conference will include the Beavers and Cougars alongside Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Gonzaga, San Diego State, Texas State and Utah State.