OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University will rename its soccer facility Brian Harvey Field in honor of its legendary coach.
Harvey has directed OCU's soccer programs ever since the men's program began in 1986 and the university fielded its first women's team in 1994. OCU made the announcement at the Sports Spectacular in front a large gathering of OCU alumni and supporters Thursday at the Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Museum.
A committee of OCU soccer alumni, former teammates and university administrators has been established to engage the community in support of the effort to make renovations to Harvey Field and grow the Brian Harvey Endowment for OCU Soccer, which honors the only coach OCU's soccer programs have had. For information on how to make a pledge towards these efforts, please contact Chris Maxon at (405) 208-5431 or camaxon@okcu.edu. To make a donation of any kind to support OCU soccer, go here.
The Stars will play their first match at Harvey Field at 2 p.m. Aug. 24 against Concordia (Neb.) in a men's match.
"We named our arena after a great coach, Abe Lemons, and it just makes sense that our soccer field should bear Brian's name," OCU athletic director Jim Abbott said. "I'm excited to know that his legacy will live on physically on campus just as it does through the countless OCU soccer alums who impact their communities."
Harvey holds membership in the NAIA Hall of Fame, Oklahoma Soccer Association Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma City University Athletics Hall of Fame.
"The whole of the program at OCU was built upon not so much great finances, but from personal sacrifices from players," Harvey said. "The whole journey we went through was hard work. It was everybody watering the field. Everybody making things happen."
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. 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.
Oklahoma City University has reached the 2001 NAIA women's national championship match, the 1999 and 2000 NAIA women's semifinals and the 2008 NAIA men's championships semifinals under Harvey's direction. Oklahoma City has made two appearances in the NAIA men's championships and seven in the women's tournament.
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.
