The Denison women's swimming & diving team opened its 2011-12 schedule with a convincing 186-94 victory over Asbury (Ky.) University on Saturday in the final season-opening meet from Gregory Pool.

The Big Red racked up 12 first-place finishes en route to the 92-point victory.  Junior Alyssa Swanson and sophomore Natalie Lugg paced Denison with three victories each.  Three first-years also logged first-place finishes in their inaugural collegiate competition.

Swanson earned her wins in the 50 freestyle with a time of 24.20 seconds.  She also won the 100 free in 52.24 while anchoring the winning 200 medley relay along with Sarah Yu, Lugg and Brenna Broadus that touched in 1:48.47.

Lugg's wins came in the 200 medley relay, the 100 breaststroke in 1:06.52 and the 200 breaststroke in 2:28.42.  Yu followed with a pair of wins in the aforementioned 200 medley relay and the 100 backstroke in 1:00.03.

Senior Emily Schroeder picked up a victory in the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:08.53 and classmate Hilary Callen bested Marit Wangstad by two-tenths of a second in the 200 freestyle with her time of 1:56.59.

Denison's rookie winners were Elizabeth Flaherty in the 1000 freestyle in 10:54.36; Michelle Howell in the 200 butterfly in 2:11.62 and Katie Collins in the 1-meter dive.  She posted a score of 209.70 to win that event.  She would go on to place second in the 3-meter dive with a score of 204.53.  The winner of the 3-meter competition was sophomore Rachel Keselring who posted a score of 219.93.

DU returns to the pool next Saturday when the swimmers travel to Gambier, Ohio for the Kenyon Relays.  Denison's divers will stay in Granville for the Denison Diving Relays.