Khris Whelan has been named the head coach of the Men’s and Women’s Wrestling teams. Whelan, a 1978 graduate from Granite City North High School, placed three times in state championships. In 1977, Whelan won the state title. In 1978 he placed 2^nd and finished in 1976. During his varsity career, Whelan accumulated an overall record of 114-5, with a total of 78 pins.

Khris was a five-time USA Junior National finalist and a four-time Champion. He was named the outstanding wrestler twice and earned the most fall award twice as well. In 1976, when Khris was 15 years old, he became the third man on the ladder of the 1976 Olympic Greco-Roman Olympic Team.

Khris attended the University of Missouri, where he earned All-American honors two times, at 126 and 134 pounds. He became a four-time NCAA Division 1 tournament qualifier. In 1982 he became the Midlands Champion, and in 1983 he became Missouri’s first wrestler to earn a #1 ranking. He was also chosen as the Outstanding Wrestler in the East-West All Star Wrestling meet.

From 1987 through 1994, Khris coached at the University of Missouri. During his tenure as a coach at Missouri, Whelan developed and produced eight Division 1 All-Americans, and five Big 8 and Big 12 Conference Champions. He was the Assistant Men’s Freestyle Coach for Great Britain from 1994-1997, and also the Head Women’s Freestyle Coach for Great Britain during that time. From 1997-2000, Khris was the Co-Head Wrestling Coach at Hazelwood Central High School in St. Louis, where his teams had eight state place-winners, two State Champions and were the Missouri State runner-up in 1999.

Since 2000, Khris has taught business and has been the head wrestling coach at Cahokia High School. His teams have won eight Conference and five regional titles, while producing twelve IHSA Individual State place winners, including five finalists and one State Champion. He was inducted into the IWCOA Hall of Fame in 2001, and into the University of Missouri-Columbia Hall of Fame in 2010.

Outside of wrestling, Khris also has been a U.S. National Judo Champion, holding a 3^rd degree Black Belt. Khris is also a Master Instructor for the British Combat Association in the Art of Self Defense, and a National Law Enforcement Trainer.