OL Reign Extends Head Coach Laura Harvey Through 2025
OL Reign today announced that it has extended the contract of head coach Laura Harvey for two additional years, keeping the three-time NWSL Coach of the Year with OL Reign through 2025.
“Laura is the most successful coach in league history and has accomplished so much for our club over the last decade,” said OL Reign CEO Vincent Berthillot. “Beyond her on-field achievements, she has built strong and trustworthy relationships with our players, giving them the ability to play with confidence while being themselves. We’re thrilled for Laura to accept this opportunity and continue to bring success here at OL Reign.”
“This club has been a big part of my life and means so much to me,” said OL Reign head coach Laura Harvey. “I’ve had the privilege of experiencing firsthand the growth we’ve worked hard for as a club and the influence we’ve had in this league, in our community and in the sport. The culture, the players, and the loyal supporters make this club what it is today and I’m beyond grateful to be back for more. All aboard the Reign train!”
Harvey was named the Reign’s first-ever head coach ahead of the league’s inaugural season in 2013 and went on to lead the club for five consecutive seasons (2013-17), helping the team to back-to-back NWSL Shield wins and NWSL Championship appearances (2014-15). During her first tenure with OL Reign, she was the first female head coach to win the Shield, lead a team to a final and win NWSL Coach of the Year, which she did on back-to-back occasions in 2014 and 2015.
In July 2021, it was announced that Harvey would rejoin OL Reign following the conclusion of the Tokyo Olympics. Despite joining a Reign squad that had earned just seven points in seven games at the start of the season, she immediately took the reins and led the team to 7-2-2 finish on the season, clinching the second-place spot in the NWSL standings. This comeback season allowed OL Reign to host a playoff match for the first time since 2015. For her incredible performance with OL Reign, she was named the 2021 NWSL Coach of the Year for the third time.
In the 2022 season, OL Reign closed out its first year at Lumen Field by going unbeaten in 18 of its 22 regular season games and securing the club’s third NWSL Shield under Harvey’s management. During that same season, Harvey led OL Reign to the Challenge Cup semifinal after keeping the team undefeated throughout the entire tournament and won The Women’s Cup in August, the second year of the international tournament’s existence.
Harvey has coached in every NWSL regular season, spending eight of those seasons with OL Reign. In addition to winning three NWSL Shields all-time, tied for the most in league history by a head coach, and being named NWSL Coach of the Year three times, the most in league history, Harvey has an extensive list of accolades and records achieved throughout her decade of coaching in the NWSL.
On June 3, 2023, Harvey became the first coach in NWSL history to coach 200 regular season games and holds the league record for wins in the regular season (94). Her most recent win on the road in San Diego set the league record for most road wins by a head coach (36).
Harvey has helped her players earn a combined 32 NWSL Best XI First Team and Second Team selections among 15 different players, having at least one player named to the NWSL Best XI First Team in all seven seasons coached. The league’s winningest head coach also had two players named NWSL Most Valuable Player (Kim Little, 2014 and Jess Fishlock, 2021) and one player named NWSL Defensive Player of the Year (Lauren Barnes, 2016) during her tenure.
Under Harvey’s leadership, OL Reign has sent the most players among all professional soccer clubs to represent the U.S. Women’s National Team at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup this summer (5). Three additional OL Reign players have been named to their national team rosters for camp ahead of the World Cup.
"Laura Harvey is synonymous with this club. I have had the privilege of watching her evolve as a coach during her time in the U.S. and I can tell you she is one of the best tacticians and managers of people in all of women’s football,” OL Reign general manager Lesle Gallimore said. “OL Reign see the tremendous value in ensuring that Laura’s tenure with the club is extended so that we can continue to build on the elite culture and championship mentality that has been established. We’re elated to continue this journey with Laura Harvey at the helm.”
Laura Harvey’s Records/Accolades:
• Named NWSL Coach of the Year three times (2014, 2015, 2021) – the most in league history. Harvey was the first female coach to win the award and the first coach to earn the selection in back-to-back seasons.
• Won the NWSL Shield three times (2014, 2015, 2022) – tied for the most in league history among all coaches. Harvey was the first female coach to win the Shield and the first coach to win it in back-to-back seasons.
• Most regular season games coached (204) – first head coach to reach 200 games.
• Most regular season wins (94), home wins (58) and road wins (36) all-time by a head coach.
• Harvey was the first female head coach to lead a team to the final.
• Harvey is one of six coaches in league history with multiple playoff appearances.
• Led OL Reign to win the 2022 Women’s Cup, just the second year of the tournament’s existence.