LA JOLLA, Calif. - The UC San Diego swimming and diving team opened its season with a sweep over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Saturday at Canyonview Aquatics Center. Senior All-American Alex Henley won three events as 17 different Tritons picked up victories.

The UCSD men defeated the Stags by a score of 177 to 111. On the women's side, the Tritons topped the Athenas, 175 to 112.

Henley, a three-time NCAA national title holder and the reigning 200 butterfly champion, recorded wins in three different strokes Saturday. The Thousand Oaks native won the 200 freestyle (1:55.73), the 200 fly (2:05.78) and the 200 backstroke (2:05.77).

Other multiple winners for UCSD included sophomore Alex Merrill, who topped the men's fields in the 100 free (47.33) as well as the 200 free (1:43.01) and senior Jamie Leigh Pearce, who was victorious in both the 1-meter (214.65) and 3-meter (237.90) diving events.

In the distance events, UCSD freshman Jessica Norgaard recorded her first collegiate win in the 1000 free (10:38.81) and senior Matt Herman won the event for the men (9:35.58). Herman collected titles in the 1000 and 1650 freestyles at the 2011 NCAA Championships.

UCSD saw two freshmen on top of the podium as Dane Stassi took the win in the 200 fly. His time of 1:48.97 ranks second on UCSD's top-ten list in the event. Kurt Boehm swam a school record 1:46.03 in the 200 fly in 2005.

CMS' lone victory came in the women's 100 freestyle as Michele Kee swam a 53.78 to touch first.

"Overall the team had a great first meet," said first year UCSD head coach Corrie Falcon. "It feels good to have started out strong and build some momentum heading into the next few weeks."

The Tritons compete at UC Santa Barbara and at the University of San Diego before heading to the Arena Invitational in Long Beach Nov. 17-19.

- UCSDtritons.com -