Defending national champion Arizona operates under the creed “pressure is a privilege,” and there’s plenty of privilege this weekend against the Wildcats’ in-state rivals.
The 2024 champs look to repeat at the Women’s Collegiate Triathlon National Championship on Saturday, hosted by Arizona State at Tempe Town Lake. The seven-time national champion Sun Devils have hosted the nationals in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023, winning it all each time.
“We have an amazing psychologist that works with the team ... and we talk about that pressure is a privilege and learning how to handle that,” said UA head coach Wes Johnson. “This is just the start of what they’re going to be dealing with because a lot of these athletes can get all the way to the Olympic Games and the top of our sport, and so this is amazing practice for all of them to learn how to handle that pressure at these big events and it comes down to just focusing on the process, day in and day out.”
Last season, UA won the national championship in its second season. The Wildcats outscored runner-up ASU 942-920.
Arizona didn’t have any pressure to win last year.
“We had no expectations last year, we kind of just went in knowing that we’re in good shape and we know we can fight for top three, maybe,” said senior Molly Lakustiak. “But then the fact that I remember (current senior) Kelly (Wetteland) said when we were running back on the last lap of the run, she was like, counting people, and she’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, we have enough people in like the top 10 that we might actually do this thing,’ and then when they told us that we won, it was just so surreal, and we didn’t even know how to take it all and I still kind of think we haven’t.”
The Wildcats returned all their triathletes from last season and dominated the NCAA West National Qualifier in Fort Worth, Texas, taking the top five places, as well as seventh, 10th and 11th. Wetteland finished first, followed by sophomore Margareta Vrablova, Lakustiak, sophomore Ellison Wolfe and sophomore Ruth Pardy.
Margareta Vrablova readies her bike at the transition area as the Arizona triathlon team prepares for the Duel in the Desert, Sept. 20, 2025, in Tucson.
Wetteland has won all four races she’s competed in as a Wildcat this season. Arizona beat second-place TCU 450-406, and third-place South Dakota had 366 points.
ASU finished second at the East Regional Qualifier in Troutman, N.C. Queens University of Charlotte won, beating the Sun Devils by five points.
“ASU was one of the first schools to add (triathlon) and so they started early and they started strong and did a lot of really good things for the sport and brought a lot of athletes and a lot of really good athletes,” Johnson said.
He said UA’s route to being one of the flagship programs was a bit different.
“We added the sport quite a few years after they did and so we’re just bringing another fresh perspective from a big school and really good program, good support, similar to what they have and I think that’s what we’re wanting, more schools to add,” Johnson said.
In October 2015, ASU became the first power conference school to make women’s triathlon a varsity sport and the ninth overall.
Around 40 NCAA schools sponsor women’s triathlon across the three divisions.
Queens is ranked No. 1, followed by UA at No. 2 and ASU third.
Wetteland said the pressure is one of the reasons she loves triathlon.
Fresh out of the pool, Arizona’s Kelly Wetteland sprints for the transition site and her bike at the Duel in the Desert triathlon, Sept. 20, 2025, in Tucson.
“From where I’m sitting, like, opportunities like this for sports like ours really don’t come that often, so I think this is, this is really why you do sports, like, just like the waking up and like feeling the nerves and all that stuff,” Wetteland said.
Six Wildcats made the CTCA West All-Region team: Wetteland, Vrablova, Lakustiak, Wolfe, Pardy, and sophomore Sara Crociani.
On Sept. 20, the Wildcats hosted a triathlon event for the first time, edging ASU 60-54. Led by Wetteland, who finished first and Vrablova, who was second, Arizona had five finish in the top 10, and all seven Wildcats placed in the top 12.
Last year’s experience, plus the regionals and the home duel against ASU helped the Wildcats adjust to the team aspect and strategy of the sport in college.
“Triathlon in this format many people don’t realize is very tactical and team-oriented, and it’s very spectator friendly,” Johnson said. “If you’re there, you’ll realize why. You’re drafting on the swim and the bike and so there’s a lot of tactics on who’s doing more work on the bike — that person’s breaking the wind for you and and working maybe a little bit harder for who’s in front and so there’s a lot of tactics that go into that. But for that to come to play, you also have to get out of the water in the lead, in the front.”
Athletes from Arizona and Arizona State dive into the Hillenbrand Aquatic Center pool for the start of the morning’s first qualifying heat for the Duel in the Desert, Sept. 20, 2025, in Tucson.
UA is scheduled to race at 3 p.m., and Johnson hopes the Tucson community will make the trip up Interstate 10 to rally around the Cats. Recommended parking sites are Tempe Town Lake Marina and the parking garage at Rio Salado Parkway and Ash Avenue.
“Last year, like our victory and our experience with that was for the whole community of Tucson,” Johnson said. “Tucson itself is a huge triathlon, cycling, community and so I think, yeah, just any support we will make it entertaining. So please, please come.”
ASU is also going to race in the last heat. There are three heats with others at 10:30 a.m. and 12:45 p.m.
Lakustiak said Tempe is close to home, and the sport at the college level is impressive to watch, so fans should come check it out.
“We could hear all the support at the home race just a month and a half ago and I think it was also like a huge support and it made a difference,” Vrablova said. “So please come out there and cheer us.”
