After over two months of speculation and searching, the Milwaukee Panthers finally tabbed their new men’s soccer coach on Monday.

Chris Whalley (pronounced ‘wall-ee’) has led tiny Lees-McRae College in equally tiny Banner Elk, North Carolina to national prominence in NCAA Division II. This season, he’ll take over the reigns to become Milwaukee’s sixth head coach in its long and storied history.

“I am extremely excited to take over such a prestigious program that has had such fantastic success over the years,” Whalley said in press release by Milwaukee Athletics. “I am hoping we can work very hard to help the team improve and take the program back to its place of prominence in the city, state and nation.”

Whalley takes over a program in disrepair. After five straight years making it to at least the second round of the NCAA Tournament, coach Louis Bennett bolted for a bigger payday across town at Marquette. He hasn’t fared well at his new digs, going 10-48-12 in four years leading the Golden Eagles. The problem is, we haven’t fared well either. Bennett’s departure along with associate head coach Stan Anderson left Jon Coleman to pick up the pieces.

Over four years, Coleman absolutely had his bright spots. His Panthers fell in the Horizon League semifinals in 2007 in overtime to UIC, the same UIC team that was a victory short of the National Semifinals and a trip to the College Cup. However, close losses and shaky management of the team led to Coleman’s downfall at his alma mater.

While his 20-44-12 record was certainly better than Bennett’s over the same time, Coleman didn’t keep the Black and Gold up to the lofty expectations of alumni, students, and fans.

Attendance dwindled over the years since Bennett’s departure, and the straw that broke the camel’s back was the Horizon League Tournament game against Valparaiso. Several penalties were issued to both teams, and accounts of a brawl between Milwaukee players and Valpo students and players did not make the now former coach look good.

Whalley, meanwhile, was quietly building a national powerhouse at Lees-McRae. Granted, the success was at D-II, but Milwaukee has found winning coaches from lower divisions before, such as Bo Ryan and Bruce Pearl.

Whalley’s record since taking over as coach in 2004 is 72-22-12, highlighted by a national championship appearance this season and No. 1 ranking in 2009. Whalley led the Bobcats to a Sweet 16 in 2008 and an Elite Eight in 2007, places Panther fans definitely want to be with Whalley at the helm.