OKLAHOMA CITY – Brian Harvey has chosen 2019 as his final season as Oklahoma City University head men's and women's soccer coach.
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.
"I would like to thank all the previous athletic directors and presidents for being supportive of soccer," Harvey said. "I would like to thank Jim Abbott for all the direction he's given the athletic department. I would like to thank every player who has put ever put on an OCU soccer shirt and played for me. I would like to thank everybody who got up at 5:30 in the morning and did our 6 o'clock two-a-days. I would like to thank the trainers who were out there with us every day. I would like to thank our team doctors. I would like to thank my fellow coaches who have been tremendously supportive of all of us. You're at a soccer game, and you'll see the volleyball coach, the basketball coach and the softball coaches out there with their teams. That helps and gives us a feeling we're all in this together."
Oklahoma City athletic director Jim Abbott said, "Brian Harvey is truly a legend in the soccer world. He has given a big part of his life to Oklahoma City University and more importantly to the men and women who have had the privilege to play for him. Brian has set a great example of character, servant leadership and integrity. He will be a hard act to follow."
The Stars will play their first match at Harvey Field at 2 p.m. Aug. 24 against Concordia (Neb.) in a men's match. OCU's regular-season home finale will be Oct. 22 Sooner Athletic Conference men's and women's contests against Mid-America Christian.
"As an institution, it's been my second home," said Harvey, who has been at OCU the past 33 years. "This is where I've spent the majority of my time. It will stay with me the rest of my life. There's so many memories, so many people I've met here in and out of soccer."
Harvey and head baseball coach Denney Crabaugh (32 years), softball coach Phil McSpadden (32) and assistant baseball coach Keith Lytle (31) have been at OCU for more than 30 years each.
"There's great people here at the university, the likes of Denney Crabaugh, Coach McSpadden, people who have been here and made such a wonderful impact," Harvey said. "When you look at Phil, Denney, me and Keith Lytle, there's over 100 years people have invested their lives into this institution. Something is right here. Something good is happening here."
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.
Oklahoma City University 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.
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 takes every opportunity to introduce youth to soccer, coaching in the U.S. Youth Soccer Region III Olympic development program for more than 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 youth have been influenced through OCU alumni 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.
