A 1978 graduate of Granite City North High School, Khris Whelan was a three-time district and sectional champion and three-time Illinois High School Association state place-winner. He won a state title in 1977, placed second in 1978 and finished fourth in 1976. He had a three-year varsity record of 114-5 with 78 pins.

While in high school, Khris was a five-time USA Wrestling Junior National finalist and a four time champion. Twice he was named the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler and twice he won the Most Falls award. At the age of 15, he was the third man on the ladder of the 1976 United States Olympic Greco-Roman team.

Following high school, Khris attended the University of Missouri and was the team captain and Outstanding Wrestler during the 1982-83 season. He became a four-time NCAA Division I tournament qualifier and two-time All-American at 126 and 134 pounds. He became Missouri's first wrestler to earn a #1 ranking, was a Midlands Champion, and was selected as the Outstanding Wrestler in the East-West All Star Meet.

He was also ranked in the Top 10 in the world at 62 kg in Greco-Roman.

From 1987 through 1994, Khris was the assistant coach at Missouri, developing eight Division I All-Americans and five Big 8 and Big 12 conference champions.

He was the assistant men's national freestyle coach for Great Britain from 1994 through 1997 and was also the head women's freestyle coach for that country.

From 1997 to 2000, he was the co-head wrestling coach at Hazelwood Central High School in St. Louis, where his teams had eight state place-winners and two state champions while finishing second in the state in 1999.

Since 2000, Khris has been teaching business and is the head wrestling coach at Cahokia High School. His teams have won eight conference and five regional titles while producing 12 IHSA state place-winners, including five finalists and one state champion. In 2014, Cahokia place fourth in the IHSA Dual Team State Championships.

Khris was inducted into the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association Hall of Fame in 2001 and into the University of Missouri-Columbia Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010.

Khris is married to his wife Lisa Marie.

Outside of wrestling, he has been a U.S. National judo champion, holding a third-degree black belt. When he's not coaching at Cahokia or at his Nation's Best Wrestling Academy in the St. Lous/Granite City metro area, Khris is a master instructor for the British Combat Association in the art of self defense and a national law enforcement trainer.