Oklahoma City University Athletics

Brian Harvey became the first head coach of the Oklahoma City University soccer program when the men’s program began in 1986 and the women started in 1994. The coaching veteran forged an unmatched record, recording the most combined men’s and women’s coaching wins in NAIA soccer history. He finished his career the distinction of being the NAIA's all-time wins leader among women's coaches and among the top five 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 finished at 814-341-70 (.693 winning percentage) – 435-211-43 (.663) in men's play and 379-130-27 (.732) on the women's side.
OCU 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 made two appearances in the NAIA men’s championships and seven in the women’s tournament.
Oklahoma City won the Sooner Athletic Conference 10 times in men’s play, while on the women’s side, OCU took 14 SAC regular-season crowns and five tournament titles. In 2018, the Stars posted an 11-5 mark for the program’s 24th double-figure victory total, while the women turned in their 23rd double-digit win total in 26 years at 11-3-2 with the SAC regular-season title. At OCU, Harvey produced 77 all-Americans, 129 NAIA scholar-athlete award winners and 15 CoSIDA academic all-Americans. On the men’s side, Harvey developed 37 NAIA all-Americans, 53 NAIA scholar-athlete award winners and five CoSIDA academic all-Americans. In women’s play, Harvey mentored 40 all-Americans, 76 NAIA scholar-athletes and 10 CoSIDA academic all-Americans. Six Harvey pupils turned professional.
Harvey had been conference coach of the year 16 times, most recently the SAC men’s 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.