After the most successful season under Coach Tinkle’s time at Oregon State, the team prepares to see some players depart to the next level, while remaining involved with bringing in new potential stars to fill their place. 

To start the process of a much-anticipated offseason of transfers and commits from the level below, 7’2” Junior Chol Marial transfers to Oregon State from the University of Maryland in hopes to grab the starting center spot over the senior Roman Silva, who has proved himself a valuable member to the team during the Beavers’ tournament run, where he hit a season-high for points in Oregon State’s first-round game against Tennessee with 16, and a season-high for rebounds the following round with 12 against Oklahoma State.

The Oregon State Beavers are adding some serious size to their Elite Eight men’s basketball squad. Marial stood out when he was in high school and committed to Maryland his senior year as the 60th-ranked recruit in the nation. 

Through quick leg injuries that kept his minutes and numbers dropping, Marial was not playing in a position in which he had hoped to be his situation with the Terrapins, in turn, transferring to Oregon State for the chance to recover and earn more playing time. 

This transfer could be coming at a great time for the team as well, as on, April 21, stand-out junior forward Warith Alatishe announced his declaration to the 2021 NBA Draft, while remaining collegiately eligible to return to the team if he is not to be drafted. For Alatishe, declaring for the draft, similar to what Ethan Thompson has done the past two seasons, allows himself the potential to be looked at by NBA scouts and general manager after the mass of national attention that the Beavers got this past March. 

Alatishe proved himself as one of the top rebounders on the West Coast. He averaged 10.7 rebounds in four NCAA Tournament games, led the PAC-12 in double-figure rebounding games with 14, and averaged 8.7 boards during the 32-game season. 

With the new faces making an appearance for the 2022 season, Oregon State will hope to build off of the Cinderella success they established with their Elite Eight run in 2021.