New Mexico men’s soccer standout Chris Wehan’s 6-year-old self would be proud.
“It’s kind of crazy right now just going through the process of transitioning into possibly a professional career. I dreamed of it but I just never imagined that I would get there,” Wehan said. “I just hope someone believes in me and gives me an opportunity.”
Like many younger siblings, his soccer journey began in part after he followed in the footsteps of his two older brothers, who also played. Wehan said he fell in love with the sport as early as 6 years old, and quickly discovered he might have some talent.
“I remember vaguely one practice where the coach asked me to show the team how to kick a ball because I could kick it the farthest, and I was like, ‘Man, this is fun and I’m pretty good at it,’” he said with a smile.
The California native joined the UNM men’s soccer team in 2012. He redshirted his first year, but that didn’t stop him from becoming a vital cog in the program in the years to follow.
Head coach Jeremy Fishbein said Wehan was likely overlooked by other programs because of his height. He is listed at 5’9” on the roster, but the coach said Wehan was a perfect fit for the Lobos.
“An incredible player,” he said. “First and foremost is Chris’ determination and the effort he plays with, just an incredible technical player.
Fishbein said Wehan blossomed into a leader and a special person, adding that he cares about others and exemplifies what Lobo soccer is all about.
Feeling appreciated, Wehan said the decision to join the program was an easy one. He came on a recruiting visit on a Thursday, stayed until Saturday and made the call on Sunday to Fishbein to verbally commit.
Wehan admitted he was a little nervous, but mostly excited, to begin his new adventure.
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“It’s kind of cheesy, but when I committed, I got one of the team pictures and I put it in one of my binders that I used for high school,” he said. “I was super excited knowing I was going to be a part of this team.”
The midfielder, known for his ability to find the net, scored only three goals during his freshman season. However, his overall performance in the 22 games he played was enough to earn him the Conference USA Freshman of the Year award.
As a sophomore, Wehan began building up his reputation as a scorer, tallying a total of 10 goals. In his junior year he scored another 10, and in his final season he added eight more.
He finished his college career with 6,492 minutes on the field, 31 goals scored, eight assists and one hashtag: #YesWehan.
The hashtag, created by a fan blog called “Lobo Lane,” appeared on Twitter whenever Wehan did something good during a game. Wehan said he got the opportunity to meet the fan prior to the end of his collegiate career.
“After the Portland game, the last home game I ever played at New Mexico, he approached me and said, ‘Hey by the way, I’m Lobo Lane. I’m the guy who created #YesWehan.’ It was awesome. It was unique.”
But the hashtag is not the only unique thing about Wehan.
He said those who know him personally rarely call him “Chris,” and his full name, Christopher, is used even less frequently.
“My nickname is Beezer,” he explained. “When I was born, my oldest brother was five at the time. When I came home from the hospital, he thought I looked like a bee, and he thought he could speak Spanish for some reason. He started calling me Beezer because he thought that was Spanish for bee.”
When he first came to New Mexico, Wehan tried to let go of the nickname, but his attempt was unsuccessful.
“I wouldn’t even tell anyone. It was just something people found out... I got to a point where I was like, ‘There is no point, I might as well just keep it,’” he laughed. “It’s kind of unique to me, I enjoy it.”
Wehan majored in organizational communications, but said he would like to pursue a career as a professional soccer player. He said he is ready to begin a new chapter in his life, but that New Mexico will always be a part of him.
“I’m thankful for all the people I’ve met and all the friendships I’ve made during my time here at UNM. It’s been an awesome place to go to school,” he said. “I hope I gave some people some smiles and some cheer on the field over the years because there have been a lot of people who have done a lot for me. I hope I can somewhat say thank you and that they know I’m appreciative of that.”
Isabel Gonzalez is a sports reporter for the Daily Lobo. She mainly covers men’s soccer and basketball. She can be reached at sports @dailylobo.com or on Twitter @cisabelg.
