BLAIR GAVIN – HEAD COACH
Blair Gavin was named FC Tulsa’s head coach for the 2023 season back on August 29, 2022. Gavin’s first head coaching gig comes after spending the previous two seasons with Columbus Crew of the MLS. Gavin was initially hired as The Crew’s First Team Video Analyst back in 2021 before being promoted to an assistant position after just one season spent in Columbus.
Prior to his time in Columbus, Gavin was an assistant coach with Phoenix Rising FC from 2018-2020, playing a crucial tactical role for what became one of the best squads in the history of the USL Championship, and went on to be named Phoenix’s interim head coach to conclude the 2020 season.
Phoenix went 54W-16L-14D during Gavin’s tenure, making the Playoffs in each of his three seasons. The club reached the USL Championship Finals in both 2018 and 2020 while appearing in the Conference Semifinals in 2019, the same season in which Phoenix set an American soccer record with 20 consecutive victories.
As a player, Gavin was drafted 10th overall in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft out of the University of Akron by Chivas USA. The former First Team All-Mid-American Conference midfielder would make appearances for Chivas USA, the New England Revolution, and the Seattle Sounders over his MLS career. Gavin then made the move to the NASL with one season spent with the Atlanta Silverbacks, followed by a three-year USL Championship stint split between Portland Timbers 2 and Arizona United/Phoenix Rising FC.
