Champions Club 2/4/2019 12:25:00 PM

Harvey to be highlighted at OCU's Sports Spectacular

Back Stars by coming 6 p.m. March 28 at Cowboy Hall of Fame

OKLAHOMA CITY – Brian Harvey will be recognized for his efforts in promoting soccer throughout the state at the Oklahoma City University Sports Spectacular dinner and auction 6 p.m. Thursday, March 28 at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.
Harvey will collect the 2018-19 Abe Lemons/Paul Hansen Award for Sports Excellence, which goes to an individual who has significantly contributed to the growth of sports in Oklahoma. OCU invites the community to the Sports Spectacular, which includes a dinner, entertainment and live and silent auctions.
Last year's honor went to Berry Tramel, The Oklahoman columnist. Other award winners are individuals who have helped shape the landscape of sports in Oklahoma – Ron Norick, Clay Bennett, Lee Allan Smith, Dr. William Grana, Stanley Draper Jr., Bob Funk, Barry Switzer, Mick Cornett, Bobby Murcer, Bart Conner, Bill Self, Tom J. McDaniel, Sherri Coale, Mike Knopp, Sam Presti, Joe Castiglione, Billy Tubbs, Scott Verplank and Tim McLaughlin.
Proceeds from the Sports Spectacular benefit Oklahoma City University's 22 varsity intercollegiate sports programs and athletic endowments. The Hansen and Lemons scholarships provide funding to OCU student-athletes who have completed their eligibility and are within one year of graduation. OCU has captured 68 national championships in all sports and the past two Directors' Cup titles.
The auction typically features a variety of items. The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum is located on 1700 NE 63rd Street in Oklahoma City. Individual tickets are $125, and tables for eight are $1,000. Please RSVP by March 17. For ticket or sponsorship information or to donate auction items, contact Chris Maxon, OCU associate athletic director for development, at (405) 208-5431 or camaxon@okcu.edu.
"Brian is perhaps the most significant contributor to the development of soccer in the history of the state of Oklahoma," Oklahoma City University athletic director Jim Abbott said. "His legacy is apparent on youth soccer fields across the state and certainly in the men's and women's programs that he started and successfully runs today at Oklahoma City University. We invite our friends, alums and the community to join us at this special event that recognizes his contributions to sports in Oklahoma."
Harvey is the only head coach the OCU soccer program has ever had since the men's program began in 1986 and the women started in 1994. 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 takes every opportunity to introduce youth to soccer, coaching in the U.S. Youth Soccer Region III Olympic development program for more than 25 years as well as coaching club programs and conducting his summer 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 under-16 national championship, the Notis Cup title. Many other youth have been influenced through OCU alumni who have become coaches themselves.
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.
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's college coaching record stands at 799-323-68 in 33 years – 429-202-41 in men's play and 370-121-27 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 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 25 years at 11-3-2 with the SAC regular-season title. At OCU, Harvey has produced 77 all-Americans, 120 NAIA scholar-athlete award winners and 15 CoSIDA academic all-Americans. On the men's side, Harvey has developed 37 NAIA all-Americans, 49 NAIA scholar-athlete award winners and five CoSIDA academic all-Americans. In women's play, Harvey has mentored 40 all-Americans, 71 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.
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.

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