Christian Dean

PROFILE
A highly-rated left-footed centre back, Christian Dean joined Whitecaps FC on January 16, 2014 after being selected third overall in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft. The East Palo Alto, California resident signed a Generation adidas contract with MLS on January 8, 2014. Prior to joining Whitecaps FC, Dean spent three seasons with the University of California Golden Bears, where he started all 55 of his appearances. He made his MLS debut as a substitute at Chivas USA on March 22, 2014. Dean scored his first professional goal on July 4, 2015 for Whitecaps FC 2. He was named as the club's Humanitarian of the Year in 2016.  

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
2016: Dean started four of his five preseason appearances for Whitecaps FC before being sidelined with a left foot injury in March. He suffered another setback when he injured his right knee in May. Despite the obstacles that prevented him from seeing the pitch in 2016, Dean remained active in the community and was honoured as the club's Humanitarian of the Year at the end of the season. 2015: Dean made three starts in five regular season appearances, including playing the full 90 minutes in a hard-earned 1-1 road draw at Portland Timbers on July 18 when he recorded match-highs in interceptions (six) and clearances (nine). He made his first start at the left back position on July 26 against San Jose. 2014: In his rookie year, Dean totalled four appearances, including one start on September 13 as the ‘Caps fell 2-1 to FC Dallas. 

CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
2015: Dean started two matches in three total appearances in the ‘Caps Voyageurs Cup-winning campaign in the Canadian Championship. 2014: Dean started in each of the two CC matches for the year.

CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
2015: Dean appeared in all four matches in the CONCACAF Champions League, starting in three of them. 

UNITED SOCCER LEAGUE
2015: Dean started in all 10 of his appearances for Whitecaps FC 2. On July 4, he scored his first professional goal as WFC2 defeated Seattle Sounders FC 2, 3-1 at Thunderbird Stadium.

COLLEGE
2013: In his third season with the Golden Bears, Dean earned All Pac-12 and NSCAA Far West Region first-team honours after anchoring a California defence that allowed 21 goals in as many matches and recorded seven clean sheets, en route to an Elite Eight finish at the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament. The 6-foot-3, 198-pound defender also chipped in with one goal and four of the six assists he registered during his tenure at the University of California, Berkeley. His lone goal was a free-kick tally in a 3-2 win over UCLA on October 13. 2012: As a sophomore, Dean was an All Pac-12 honourable mention after starting all 18 of the team’s matches and playing a key part in their four clean sheets. 2011: In his first collegiate season, Dean started all 16 of his appearances and picked up two assists for his first points as a collegian. 

INTERNATIONAL
Dean trained with the United States U-20 men's national team in early 2012, and then joined the senior national team for a month-long training camp in January 2015.

HIGH SCHOOL
Prior to his collegiate career, Dean spent time honing his skills with the Palo Alto Football Club, Santa Clara Sporting FC and De Anza Force Soccer Club, with whom he was a co-captain for the U-18 side. He was named to National Academy Select 93 teams in 2009 and 2010 and won the 2010 New York Red Bulls National High School Cup with the West team.

PERSONAL
Dean was a social welfare major at the University of California, Berkeley. His adoptive parents are William and Elizabeth Brown-Dean and his half-brother, Josh Huestis, was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2014 NBA Draft. He keeps close contact not only with his adoptive parents, but his birth mother and his half-brother’s adopted mother as well. He has a tattoo of a lighthouse on his forearm dedicated to his late grandmother who helped to put him through high school and college. The young defender attended Palo Alto High School.

INTERESTING FACTS
Dean joined his first soccer team when he was four years old, at which time he also began playing baseball. A supporter of English Premier League giants Arsenal, his favourite player is someone he could be playing against on the pitch, former Arsenal player Thierry Henry. He also likes to watch 2014 FIFA Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo. Outside of soccer, Dean skates, plays basketball and enjoys surfing.