OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University soccer coach Brian Harvey will be inducted into the OCU Athletic Hall of Fame.
Harvey has captured the most men's and women's victories of any soccer coach in NAIA history. Harvey will be recognized for his accomplishments Nov. 7 during the university's Reunion Weekend.
Harvey's record stands at 580-214-39 in 22-plus years with OCU. He has posted a 335-144-23 ledger with the men, and a 245-70-16 record in his 15th year with the women.
Harvey has coached the soccer programs at OCU since their start. The men began in 1986, while the women started in 1994.
Harvey will become the first head coach active at OCU to become an OCU athletic hall of famer. The induction ceremony will take place in the Great Hall of the Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center starting with a 6 p.m. reception on Nov. 7. For ticket information, please call the Alumni Relations office at (405) 208-5117.
“Brian Harvey is OCU soccer, but beyond that he is the face of the sport in Oklahoma,” OCU athletic director Jim Abbott said. “Brian has earned the distinction of becoming the first active OCU head coach to be inducted into our Athletic Hall of Fame. The contributions that Brian has made to the sport of soccer, and more importantly, to the lives of the young men and women that have played on his teams are significant. He is absolutely a hall of famer and we look forward to honoring him.”
Harvey will be inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame during the NAIA Championships on Nov. 30-Dec. 5 at either the men's event in Fresno, Calif., or the women's tournament in Decatur, Ala.
“It's humbling,” Harvey said. “I didn't realize the years have gone by so quickly. There are so many coaches here who are deserving, and hopefully they will be in the hall as well someday. Oklahoma City University has become my home, and the fellow coaches are my family.”
Harvey guided OCU's men to the best finish in program history last year, reaching the NAIA semifinals. OCU has reached the 2001 NAIA women's national championship game, the 1999 and 2000 NAIA women's semifinals and the 1991 NAIA men's championships 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 eight times in women's play.
Harvey has coached 29 NAIA men's all-Americans, 22 NAIA men's scholar-athlete award winners, 31 women's all-Americans and 33 NAIA women's scholar-athletes. Among those all-Americans, Harvey pupils Richard Benigno, Dino Deleveski, Tim Treviño and Andy Taylor each turned professional.
“Harvey's passion and enthusiasm for the game of soccer and life are infectious,” said Oklahoma soccer coach Nicole Nelson, who played for OCU in 1994-97. “What he has given back to the sport is immeasurable – he impacts every soccer athlete that wears an OCU jersey. Coach Harvey has been a great mentor and inspiration to me, and I will be forever grateful for the affect he has had on my life.”
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 12 times, including the men's and women's SAC coach of the year last 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 10 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.
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.
OCU plays Southwestern Oklahoma State at 3 p.m. Friday in Weatherford, Okla., then faces East Central at 3 p.m. Monday in Ada, Okla., in women's play. OCU, ranked 15th in NAIA men's soccer, take on Northwood (Texas) at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22 at Stars Field.
