Duncan Henderson and Anna Wetteland follow in their siblings’ (Orion Henderson and Kelly Wetteland) footsteps in receiving All-American Status! Courtesy photo

LAHS News:

For the second year in a row, The Los Alamos High School (LAHS) Swim Team was the only team in the state to have athletes achieve the coveted All-American Status. However, this year, a new set of new first names hoisted the awards: Duncan Henderson and Anna Wetteland.

Following their older siblings’ footsteps (Orion Henderson and Kelly Wetteland), Duncan and Anna achieved the All-American times on their way to first-place finishes at the 2022-2023 High School State Championships.

All-American status is determined by meeting one of two qualifying standards: an Automatic Time or Consideration Time. Any swimmer whose time meets the automatic time standard achieves All-American status. Consideration times have slightly slower time standards to achieve status, but the total number of All-Americans is capped at 100 swimmers per event; making a consideration time does not guarantee achieving the award.

At the state championship, Henderson swam the 200 individually medley within a time of 1:52.60, which was good for consideration, and the 100 backstroke in an automatic time of 49.12. When the top 100 times were considered, the 200 IM was outside the top 100, resulting in the single Automatic Achievement.

Wetteland achieved three consideration times: 50 freestyle (23.23), 100 freestyle (50.65), and 100 butterfly (55.46). After the top 100 times were considered, Anna yielded All-American awards in the 50 and 100 freestyle; Wetteland previously achieved All-American status as part of a relay team during her freshmen year while swimming in Tennessee.

Coach Heath Mclauglin on the significance of the All-American Honor, “Anna and Duncan’s All-American accolades are an incredible achievement and well-deserved honor – once again LAHS has the only swimming All-Americans in New Mexico. While it is undeniable that God has blessed them with enormous athletic talent, they wouldn’t be getting this honor without a tremendous work ethic. Swimming is arguably the hardest of all sports when it comes to the demands of training and competitiveness across the country. They both push themselves, each other and their teammates at every practice. The fact that they are All-Americans for their junior and sophomore years only leaves room for continued improvement.”

Henderson and Wetteland were asked the following:

1. What is your favorite part of participating on the HS swim team?
2. What does it mean to be an All-American?
3. What does it mean to train with another All-American? 
4. What are your swimming goals?
5. Where are you looking/planning to go to college?

Duncan Henderson, Junior LAHS

1. I like swimming on the team because I love swimming with my friends and doing hard workouts.
2. Being an all-American means giving it your all when faced with a practice or race.
3. Training with an All-American swimmer means you know someone who knows how much more work you have to put in to be that good.
4. I do not have many swimming goals, but mainly to have fun swimming fast and doing my best.
5. Arizona, Alabama, Minnesota, Louisville.

Anna Wetteland, Senior LAHS

My favorite part of swimming on the HS team is the environment we create in the water. Even if I’m not having the best day and don’t want to swim, seeing friends and chatting between sets always puts a smile on my face. I also love that swimming is a combined sport without cuts because you get to see people you may have yet to talk to if not in the pool; this is special as we are one of the only sports like this, and it keeps the environment light.

Being an All-American is a tremendous honor. I am grateful for the team and coaches who have helped me better myself, as it wouldn’t be possible without them. Additionally, I am proud that I brought back the All-American honor to my team, as it would be challenging to stay motivated and train without them.

Training with DUncan is very positive, as I can always count on him to push me. Even though Duncan is much faster, I can count on him to give his best effort in a set, thus making me want to do the same. Not only do I count on Duncan for motivation and as a training partner, but I also count on him to keep things fun during practice. We have really gotten to know each other well, and I look forward to the conversations we have between reps and sets (even if it’s in 10-second chunks).

My swimming goals are constantly changing as seasons go on, but I want to work on my technique and perfect my stroke to reach new standards, possibly Olympic Trials. As I look to the future, I plan to better my times and be the fastest I can before swimming collegiately.

I plan on attending the University of California Los Angeles in the fall of 2024 to continue my academic and athletic careers. I am interested in studying statistics and marketing at UCLA while competing on the swim and dive team. I am honored by the opportunity to attend and compete for UCLA; go Bruins!