Early on in Arizona triathlon’s fall season, head coach Wes Johnson adopted a team mantra of ‘Why not me? Why not us?’ As in, why can’t a program in only its second year of existence compete for a national championship?
The mantra was born out of a belief that Arizona had built a strong foundation in its inaugural season and added to it with a group of female athletes who were talented, coachable and in it for one another.
“Yes, a lot of people wouldn’t expect in their second year to win a national championship, but after I saw this team in the first few weeks, I thought in my head, ‘Why not us? Why can’t we?,” said Johnson. “There’s no limits so let’s go for it.”
Earlier this month, Johnson’s belief in his team was rewarded as Arizona won the Women’s Collegiate Triathlon National Championships in Clermont, Florida.
Arizona’s championship marked a changing of the guard in the sport of women’s triathlon; ASU had won the past seven consecutive championships.
The Sun Devils could only look on as Arizona triathletes crossed the finish line one by one, securing five of the top 13 positions.
More than a week after winning the title, Johnson had some time to reflect on how the program came together so quickly.
“The secret sauce was building the right foundation and bringing in the right people from the start,” Johnson said. “Really just investing in the individuals in who they are.”
Johnson was selective in who he brought in, even as spanned the globe to find athletes.
Arizona’s roster includes U.S. athletes from New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota and from nine other countries: Argentina, Brazil Canada, Czech Republic, Hungary, Isle of Man, Italy, and South Africa.
One of Arizona’s top recruits came from within. Kelly Wetteland, originally recruited to Arizona as a swimmer, transitioned to triathlon early in her college career. Wetteland was Arizona’s top overall scorer at national championships with a runner-up finish.
When Wetteland found out Arizona was adding a triathlon team, she convinced Johnson to save her a spot, pointing to her success in the pool and experience as a high school long distance runner.
a leap of faith that paid off #WhyNotUs pic.twitter.com/7TbsuMIc8B
— Arizona Triathlon (@aztriathlon) November 21, 2024
“I swam my first year, but I always felt like there was something a little bit more I could give to Athletics, to this university,” Wetteland said. “I approached Wes and I was like, ‘Hi I’m Kelly. I’m a swimmer, I can run. I’ve never really biked competitively before but I think I’m crazy enough to do this. Can you take a shot on me?’
“Wes was like, ‘Yeah, let’s do it.’ The rest is in the books.”
Junior Molly Lakustiak, a former collegiate runner in Canada, found out about Arizona’s program after winning a junior triathlon event. When Johnson approached her about joining the team, Lakustiak was on board.
“It was very new, and I trusted Wes and I trusted that this team would be what I needed to even pursue past college. I knew it would set me up well,” Lakustiak said. “It was like a no-brainer to come.”
Arizona’s recruiting focuses on international athletes and particularly Europe where the sport is more popular. Johnson hopes that as triathlon transitions to an NCAA-sponsored sport next season, more young women from the U.S. will give it a shot.
“Now that it’s an NCAA sport, I’m excited and hopeful that this jumps the sport forward for especially all the women growing up in the country,” said Johnson.
With a national championship in hand, Arizona is well-positioned to be a leader in the sport as it continues to grow.