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 soccer history. He enters this season as the NAIA's wins leader among active women's coaches and among the top 10 in all-time victories among men's coaches.
Harvey holds membership in the NAIA Hall of Fame, Oklahoma Soccer Association Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma City University Athletics Hall of Fame. Harvey's college coaching record stands at 777-315-66 – 418-197-41 in men's play and 359-118-25 on the women's side.
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 championships semifinals under Harvey’s direction. His 1999 women’s team went 24-2, and the men recorded a 23-2-1 season in 2001. Oklahoma City has made two appearances in the NAIA men’s championships and seven in the women’s tournament.
Oklahoma City has won the Sooner Athletic Conference 10 times in men’s play, while on the women’s side, OCU owns 13 SAC regular-season crowns and five tournament titles. In 2017, the Stars posted the men’s program’s best mark since 2009 at 14-3-2, while the women turned in their 22nd double-digit win total in 24 years at 10-7-1. At OCU, Harvey has produced 75 all-Americans, 111 NAIA scholar-athlete award winners and 14 CoSIDA academic all-Americans. On the men’s side, Harvey has developed 35 NAIA all-Americans, 45 NAIA scholar-athlete award winners and four CoSIDA academic all-Americans. In women’s play, Harvey has mentored 40 all-Americans, 66 NAIA scholar-athletes and 10 CoSIDA academic all-Americans. Among those all-Americans, six Harvey pupils have turned professional.
Harvey has been conference coach of the year 16 times, including the men’s SAC coach of the year in 2014. He was named 1999 NAIA Region VI men’s and women’s coach of the year and 1991 Arkansas-Oklahoma coach of the year.
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 15 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.
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 and his wife Judy have 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 regular-season champion
2009: 15-4-2
2010: 11-6-2
2011: 7-6-4
2012: 9-6-4
2013: 8-8-2
2014: 10-5-2
SAC regular-season champion
2015: 9-8
2016: 11-5-2
2017: 14-3-2
Total: 418-197-41, .668 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 Championship Opening Round
2009: 11-7-1
2010: 19-3-1
SAC Tournament champion, NAIA Championship Opening Round, NAIA Championships
2011: 17-3-2
SAC regular-season champion, NAIA Championship Opening Round, NAIA Championships
2012: 20-2
SAC regular-season champion, SAC Tournament champion, NAIA Championship Opening Round, NAIA Championships
2013: 15-4-1
SAC regular-season champion
2014: 5-9-1
2015: 12-5-2
2016: 7-10
2017: 10-7-1
Total: 359-118-25, .740 pct.
Combined record: 777-315-66, .699 pct.