Oregon State University Colors: A Comprehensive Guide
Oregon State University (OSU) is represented by the Oregon State Beavers, competing in the NCAA Division I as part of the Pac-12 Conference. A key element of the university's identity lies in its official colors, which are carefully managed to ensure consistent representation across all platforms. This article delves into the specifics of these colors, their appropriate usage, and the broader athletic programs they represent.
Official Colors and Their Usage
Oregon State University's color system relies heavily on Beaver Orange, black, and white. When using Beaver Orange, it should always be reproduced in its original form - meaning no tints or shades may be derived from it, nor may multiply or overlay effects be applied to it. The university provides specific guidelines for the use of its colors to maintain a consistent brand identity.
Beaver Orange
The primary color, Beaver Orange, holds a significant place in the university's visual identity. When possible, it should be printed using the Pantone Matching System value (PMS 1665).
Complementary Colors
Although our color system relies heavily on Beaver Orange, black and white, we understand the need to complement that palette with a robust set of additional colors. However, these colors should not become the predominant color for any school, department, institute, or center.
Color Combinations and Accessibility
Oregon State University emphasizes the importance of thoughtful color combinations, especially for digital communications. The digital color palette is optimized for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Contrast is crucial for distinguishing elements like text from their backgrounds. It is important to avoid combinations that have low contrast, such as light-on-light (yellow text on a white background), dark-on-dark (navy text on a black background), or bright-on-bright (teal on orange).
Read also: Evolution of the Oregon Mascot
Printing Considerations
Pantone colors are special inks that are pre-mixed to be exactly the same every time, whether you use a local printer or an online vendor. They cost more to print but might be used for a special item. CMYK colors are the best approximation of Pantone colors and can vary from printer to printer. These values are best used for every day print pieces (brochures, programs, fact sheets, stationery, etc.).
Restrictions
Under no circumstances should any of them become the predominant color for a school, department, institute or center. Never use Pine Stand and Luminance together in large fields or in close proximity in any instance. No values other than those listed on this page may be used. Tints and shades of these colors are not permitted.
Oregon State Beavers: A Legacy of Athletic Excellence
The Oregon State Beavers represent the university in a variety of sports, fostering a strong sense of community and pride. The Beavers compete at the NCAA Division I level, with the football team participating in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
Mascot and Rivalry
Oregon State's mascot is Benny the Beaver. The primary rivals of the Beavers are the Oregon Ducks of the University of Oregon, located 45 miles (72 km) south of the Oregon State campus in Eugene, Oregon. The football rivalry between the Beavers and Ducks, once known as the Civil War, was one of the longest-running in the country, having been contested 127 times through the 2023 season.
National Championships
As of February 2025, the Beavers have won one pre-NCAA team national championship and four NCAA team national championships. The 1926 wrestling team won the Amateur Athletic Union national championship, the 1961 men's Cross-country team won the NCAA title, and most recently the baseball team won the 2006, 2007 and 2018 College World Series.
Read also: Quarter System at OSU Explained
Baseball
The Oregon State University baseball program was established in 1907. It has since had nearly 100 players go on to play in the minor leagues and more than 45 go on to play in the majors. Oregon State players have been named All-Americans 45 times, as of the end of the 2024 season. Oregon State baseball has produced 16 conference players of the year winners and 1 Golden Spikes Award winner, Adley Rutschman in 2019. The baseball team has won its conference championship 26 times and has reached the College World Series seven times, first in 1952 and as recently as 2018. They won the NCAA championship in 2006, 2007, and 2018. The team is led by head coach Mitch Canham and they play at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field.
Men's Basketball
The men's basketball team at Oregon State experienced periods of significant success from the early 1920s to the early 1990s-with 12 conference championships, 16 NCAA tournament appearances, and only 14 losing seasons from 1922 to 1991-but fell on hard times, suffering 19 losing seasons and made no NCAA tournament appearances from 1992 to 2015 before returning in 2016. The program has reached the Final Four of the NCAA tournament twice, the Elite Eight on six occasions, and 17 total tournament appearances. A number of former OSU players have gone on to have successful careers in the NBA, including 9-time NBA All-Star Gary Payton and "Iron Man" A.C. Green. The team has defeated rival Oregon more times than any other team has beaten an opponent in a collegiate sport, with 195 victories over the Ducks as of 2023. The Oregon State men's basketball holds the NCAA record for most games played against a single opponent with 362 games played against the Oregon Ducks men's basketball team and the NCAA record for 2nd most victories against a single opponent with 195 victories against the Ducks. Wayne Tinkle was hired as head coach prior to the 2014-15 season. His first team produced the program's second winning record in the last nine seasons and he then led the school to their first NCAA tournament appearance since 1990 in 2016.
Football
The football program has been a part of Oregon State University since 1893, working as a platform for over a hundred players to enter the NFL, such as Heisman Trophy winner Terry Baker, New England Patriots running back Steven Jackson, New Orleans Saints running back Jacquizz Rodgers, Tennessee Titans punter Johnny Hekker, Miami Dolphins wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, Oakland Raiders wide receiver T. J. Oregon State University has played in 20 postseason bowl games. The Beavers have also played in the Mirage Bowl, but this was a regular season game and a "bowl" in name only, not a post-season invitational bowl game. The Beavers lost the 1980 edition of the game against No.
Men's Soccer
The Oregon State Beavers men's soccer team was founded in 1988 and plays at 1,500 seat Paul Lorenz Field at Patrick Wayne Valley Stadium. They have had sustained success since the early to mid 2000s. The Beavers were Pac-12 Conference champions in 2021 and qualified for the NCAA national championship tournament on eight occasions, making their deepest runs in the tournament in 2021 reaching the quarter finals and in 2023 where they reached the College Cup (Semifinals). The team has produced one Hermann Trophy winner (Best collegiate soccer player in the nation) Gloire Amanda in 2020, seven NSCAA All-Americans and has had five players play for their respective national teams at the senior level.
Men's Golf
The Great Depression affected the golf program particularly leading to only one officially scheduled match 1931. Following that, there were no scheduled games for the next year. Golf again began to resurface in 1933 without official university support. In 1934, Ralph Coleman, head of OSC intramural athletics, was named golf coach. He would remain in this capacity until 1938, when he was named full-time baseball coach and basketball coach Amory T. The Oregon State men's golf team finished the 1949-50 season 1st in the north division and 18th at the national championship tournament. In 1958-1959 they finished 2nd in the conference and 11th at the national championships. In 1965-1966 they finished 5th in the conference but 15th at the national championships. In 1993-1994 they finished 4th in the conference and 25th at the national championships. In the 2000-2001 season although finishing last in the conference they surprised many and finished in 12th place at the national championships. The golf teams practice and compete at Oregon State's own Trysting Tree Golf Club, in East Corvallis. Built in 1988, the course is designed by the famed architect Ted Robinson and features many large, raised greens making approach shots very challenging. In 2017 Trysting Tree opened its new routing featuring three newly created holes by Native Oregonian and former Oregon State Golfer, Dan Hixson. This project also saw the addition of a new large practice facility for the Oregon State Golf Program.
Read also: Growth and Community at WOU
Rowing
And over the past five years, a pair of former Beavers have represented America and the Oregon State rowing program particularly well. Throughout its history, rowing at Oregon State has been led by committed and visionary coaching. The school's first crew coach was James C. Karl Drlica took over from Coach Stevens and would lead the program for the next 30 years. One of Coach Drlica's first moves was to establish women as an integral part of the program when he started intramural competition in 1952. The achievements of Coach Drlica and his crews were recognized in 1967 when the Board of Intercollegiate Athletics accepted the men's heavyweight crew as a varsity sport. In 1983 the athletic department hired Dave Emigh to assist with the crew program and in 1985 he was named the head coach. Emigh spent 11 years at OSU and continued to develop the program with the same innovative styles of his predecessors. Fred Honebein joined the Oregon State family in 2004 and led his squad to a ninth-place finish at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships. Steve Todd has been named interim head coach of the Oregon State University men's rowing program for the 2006-07 season. Todd succeeded former head coach Fred Honebein in June after leading the Beavers to a 14th-place finish at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association national championships. A former rower at the University of Washington, Todd rowed to a national championship in the Huskies' JV8 in 1997 and earned medals in the Varsity boat in 1998 and 1999. Todd has been a part of the Oregon State rowing program for four years as the men's freshman coach. During his time with the Beavers, Todd's crews have medaled all four years at the Pac-10 Championships including a silver medal finish in 2003. Tood's 2003 crew of rookies also took second at the San Diego Crew Classic and in the process upset traditional powerhouse Washington. Dave Friedericks is in his first season as the men's rowing assistant coach. national team, directed the Lake Oswego Community Rowing Center for the past two years.
Wrestling
Traditionally, the Oregon State wrestling team has been a national powerhouse, winning their conference championship 53 times and finishing in the NCAA top-ten 21 times (2nd twice, in 1973 & 1995) since the inception of the team in 1909, 115 seasons. They have 12 individual NCAA championship titles and have 90 individual All-Americans (of which 2 athletes earned 4 time all-Americans by Babak Mohammadi (1991, 1992, 1994, & 1995) and Larry Bielenberg (1974-1977)). Pre-NCAA in 1926, OSU won the Amateur Athletic Association team national championship. Dale Thomas, Oregon State coach from 1957 to 1990 and National Wrestling Hall of Fame member, holds the NCAA record for most dual meet wins in a coaching career at 616. Additionally, seven OSU alumni have gone on to represent the United States in the Olympics, including in 1924 where Oregon State alumni won both the gold and silver medals in the same weight class. Only 5 of Oregon State's 90 seasons have resulted in a losing record. Oregon State's all-time dual meet record at the end of the 2009-10 season is 950-307-26, ranked 3rd in the NCAA for most all-time wins.
Women's Basketball
The women's basketball program at Oregon State has long been a power. From the 1980s and Carol Menken, to the Mid-1990s with the teams led by Tanja Kostic that made it to the NCAA tournament. More recently Oregon State women's basketball has seen many strong players.
Women's Golf
The women's golf team has had numerous athletes to go on to play professionally.
Women's Gymnastics
The women's gymnastics team is historically known as one of the best teams in the country. They were ranked #13 in the nation in the 2006 Preseason Coaches' Poll, and had one of the strongest schedules in the nation. Oregon State women's gymnastics has produced over 115 All-Americans, 12 All-Around All-Americans.
Women's Soccer
The 1994 Oregon State women's soccer team earned the first NCAA tournament berth in program history, and in 2009 upset host Ohio State and nationally seeded Florida in the first two rounds to advance to the Sweet 16. They have participated in the NCAA national championship tournament 4 times.
Softball
The women's softball team was co-champion for the Pac-10 title in 2005, ending the season with a 43-16 record. They have made NCAA regional tournament appearances 15 times including nine years in a row (1999-2007), including the 2006 season where they made it to the Women's College World Series (WCWS). They had a 28-game winning streak in the 2006 season, the longest win streak the NCAA had seen since 2002 and the longest in the history of the program at Oregon State.
Track and Field and Cross Country
The Oregon State track and field and cross country programs were cut in 1988, but began a comeback in 2004 with the return of a women's distance program, led by Kelly Sullivan, the former coach of Willamette University. In 2017, Louie Quintana, former long time assistant at Arizona State, assumed the helm at Oregon State and has preceded to lead the program to new heights. Oregon State women's cross country has produced 5 All-Americans, 15 All-Conference selections and 2 All-Academic honors. Men's track and field and cross country is confined to the club level, the men's cross country team in 1961 were NCAA national champions. The men's track program produced 16 individual NCAA national champions prior to being disbanded in 1988. The Oregon State men's cross country team were national champions in 1961 and gave the beavers their 1st NCAA team championship in the school's history.
Women's Swimming
Oregon State's most recent dive into women's swimming came in 1973-74, but the sport took hold at the school long before that. The Beaver yearbook for the 1914-15 school year shows a swim team photo in the Girls Athletics section. varsity status. The Women's Swim Team finished runner-up in Conference 3 times (1980, 1982, 1983) and 3rd place 5 times (1974, 1975, 1979, 1981, 1984). The swim team practiced and competed at 250 seat Steven's Natatorium inside the Dixon Recreation Center on the main campus of Oregon State University in Corvallis once it was completed in 1992. The Swimming program was discontinued following the 2018-2019 season due to "a comprehensive review of all sports, and facility requirements contributed to this decision as we realize that OSU campus pool facilities do not meet NCAA standards.
Racquetball
The Beavers have won 28 national team titles that were not bestowed by the NCAA. The Racquetball Team was founded in 2001 and has been one of the most successful teams in the university's history. They have 27 National titles, including 11 in a row overall Team Titles from 2008 to 2018 and have had multiple All-Americans. 14 Overall Team National Titles, 5 Men's Team Titles, and 8 Women's Team titles. Overall Team Titles: 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2023, and 2024.
Other Club Sports
The Oregon State University lacrosse club was formed in 1971. The Oregon State University rugby club was formed in 1961. In recent years Oregon State rugby has played in the Northwest Conference against In-Conference rivals such as Oregon, Washington and Washington State. Beginning with the 2012-13 season, however, Oregon State is leaving the Northwest Conference and joining other schools from the Pac-12 to form a new rugby conference that will mirror the Pac-12 and bring increased exposure. Oregon State rugby has been successful in recent years. The indoor rock climbing club was formed in 2015 as a club sport at OSU.
Beaver Nation: The Heart of Oregon State
Oregon State University's proud fans, alumni, and supporters are commonly referred to as Beaver Nation by the media and are credited with giving the Beavers a great home field/court advantage at all of OSU's sporting events. Some of the most prominent events showcasing OSU's rabid fan support and willingness to travel include the 2001 Fiesta Bowl, 2012 Alamo Bowl, 2016 Women's Final Four, and College World Series tournaments in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2013, 2017, and 2018. In 2000, Oregon State's football team finished with a 10-1 regular season record and an invitation to the 2001 Fiesta Bowl. The Beavers football team brought an estimated 38,000 fans with them to Tempe, Arizona and went on to crush Notre Dame by a score of 42-3. In June 2006 and again in June 2007, Oregon State's baseball team made consecutive trips to Omaha, Nebraska for the College World Series. Beaver Nation showed up by the thousands, creating large pockets of its dominating orange at Rosenblatt Stadium, and cheered the team on to the National Championship both years. The Beaver Sports Radio Network members broadcast a number of Beaver athletic events. Mike Parker is the primary announcer and has been the voice of the Beavers since 1999.
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