In his 27th year, Brian Harvey is the only head coach the Oklahoma City University soccer program has ever had since the men’s program began in 1986 and the women started in 1994. The coaching veteran has forged an unmatched record, recording the most men’s and women’s wins in NAIA history. He entered 2012 as the NAIA's wins leader among active women's coaches and seventh in victories among all-time men's coaches.
Harvey added hall of famer to his extensive resume in 2009-10. Harvey became a member of the NAIA Hall of Fame, Oklahoma Soccer Association Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma City University Athletics Hall of Fame.
OCU has reached the 2001 NAIA women’s national championship match, the 1999 and 2000 NAIA women’s semifinals and the 1991 NAIA men’s championships and the 2008 NAIA men’s semifinals under Harvey’s direction. His 1999 women’s team went 24-2, and the men recorded a 23-2-1 season in 2001. OCU has won the Sooner Athletic Conference nine times in men’s play and 12 times in women’s play.
In 2011, the Stars reached the NAIA women’s soccer championships after winning an NAIA Championship Opening-Round match and capturing the SAC regular-season championship. OCU posted its 18th consecutive double-digit win season in women’s play. On the men’s side, OCU advanced to the SAC Tournament.
At OCU, Harvey has produced 70 all-Americans, 82 NAIA scholar-athlete award winners and 13 CoSIDA academic all-Americans. On the men’s side, Harvey has developed 32 NAIA all-Americans, 31 NAIA scholar-athlete award winners and four CoSIDA academic all-Americans. In women’s play, Harvey has mentored 38 all-Americans, 51 NAIA scholar-athletes and nine CoSIDA academic all-Americans. Among those all-Americans, Harvey pupils Richard Benigno, Dino Deleveski, Chris Spendlove, Andy Taylor and Tim Treviño each turned professional.
Harvey was named 1999 NAIA Region VI men’s and women’s coach of the year and 1991 Arkansas-Oklahoma coach of the year. He has been conference coach of the year 13 times, including the women’s SAC co-coach of the year in 2010.
Prior to OCU, Harvey was head coach of the Oklahoma City Slickers, an American Professional Soccer League team that he took to the 1982 Soccer Bowl played before 42,000 at the Silverdome in Detroit. He led the Oklahoma City Spirit to the 1990 Lone Star Soccer Alliance championship. He also coached Oklahoma City and Tulsa in the United Soccer League and the Oklahoma City teams of the U.S. Interregional Soccer League.
Harvey has been tireless in developing youth soccer players, coaching in the U.S. Youth Soccer Region III Olympic development program for 12 years as well as coaching club programs and conducting his American Youth Soccer Camps. He has been named Region III boys competitive coach of the year in 2007 and Oklahoma girls competitive coach in 2002. Harvey guided the Dallas Club America to the 1979 Notis Cup title. Many other players have been influenced through former OCU players who have become coaches themselves, including Nicole Nelson, an assistant at Southern Methodist.
A native of Liverpool, England, Harvey graduated from St. Bonaventure University in 1966 with a degree in physical education. He played soccer professionally in Australia, China, England and the United States. Harvey first came to the United States to play for the Dallas Tornadoes in the North American Soccer League. He played against the legendary Pele at Hong Kong in 1972.
Harvey has a daughter, Nicole, who played for OCU in 2001-04 and served as Harvey’s student assistant in 2005.
Harvey’s OCU record
MEN
1986: 8-6
1987: 11-8-1
1988: 19-6-1
1989: 19-4-2
1990: 14-9
SAC, District 9 champs
1991: 21-4-1
SAC, District 9 champs
1992: 15-5-1
1993: 8-13-1
1994: 11-11
1995: 17-7
SAC, Section champions
1996: 17-4-2
SAC, Section champions
1997: 17-5
SAC champion
1998: 14-4-1
1999: 19-4
SAC, Section champions
2000: 13-8
2001: 23-2-1
SAC champion
2002: 12-7-2
SAC champion
2003: 6-9-4
2004: 9-8
2005: 15-5-1
2006: 9-6-2
2007: 15-5-1
2008: 20-3-1
SAC champion
2009: 15-4-2
2010: 11-6-2
2011: 7-6-4
Total: 365-159-30, .686 pct.
WOMEN
1994: 12-2
SAC, Section champs
1995: 14-6
1996: 15-7
1997: 18-6
SAC, Section champs
1998: 13-7
1999: 24-2
SAC, Region VI champions
2000: 22-1-2
SAC, Region VI champions
2001: 23-2-1
NAIA runner-up, SAC, Region VI champions
2002: 17-4-2
SAC champion
2003: 12-8-4
SAC champion
2004: 12-5-4
2005: 17-3-1
SAC champion
2006: 14-5-1
2007: 15-5
2008: 16-5-1
SAC regular-season, SAC Tournament champion, NAIA Championships Opening Round
2009: 11-7-1
2010: 19-3-1
SAC Tournament champion, NAIA Championships Opening Round
2011: 17-3-2
SAC regular-season champion, NAIA Championships Opening Round
Total: 291-81-20, .768 pct.
Combined record: 656-240-50, .720 pct.
