VESTAL, N.Y. – Sophomore Kaitlyn Smolar and junior Ross Bernstein each won three events as the Binghamton swimming & diving teams swept their opening tri meet of the season on Saturday afternoon at the Patricia Saunders Aquatic Center. The Bearcat men defeated Niagara 172-107 while the women topped Niagara 161-109 and Siena 171-94.

Smolar, who earned all-conference honors her freshman year at the America East meet, won the 1,000 free (10:37.83), the 500 (5:11.93) and the 200 (1:56.24). Bernstein, who also earned all-conference honors last season, captured the 200 fly (1:53.97), the 400 IM (4:20.89) and tied with senior Matthew DeVito for first place in the 100 fly (52.86).

The Bearcat men's team also posted a pair of double winners. Senior Alex Brion swept the men's 50 free (21.15) and 100 free (47.42) while junior Dylan Van Manen won the 200 free (59.34) and 500 free (4:55.30). Brion's 50 free time almost broke the 2014 pool record of 20.99, which was set by Binghamton's Brian McKenna.

On the women's side, there were three double winners for Binghamton. Senior Brooke Pettis took top honors in the 100 fly (57.87) and 200 fly (2:09.66), sophomore Erica Bachiller swept the 100 back (59.34) and 200 back (2:10.49) while freshman Kelli O'Shea was first in the 200 breast (2:28.33) and 400 IM (4:45.53).

"This was a great meet for us," head coach Brad Smith said. "We had some very good times for the first meet of the season. "We swam lights out from start to finish today and couldn't have wished for a better outcome. We nearly broke some pool records that are held by some pretty important people in the past."

Other winners in the men's meet included senior Max Willard in the 1000 (10:05.96), junior Tyler Meyers in the 100 back (53.45), freshman Ryan Board in the 100 breast (59.35), freshman Chris Egan in the 3-meter diving competition (291.15), senior Zachary Kaplan in the 200 back (1:56.64), sophomore Pat Wilson in the 200 breast (2:08.41) and sophomore David Walters in the one-meter diving event (291.97). Walter's score nearly met the NCAA Zone Championship standard of 300.00.

For the women, other first-place finishes were turned in by junior Sydney Atendido in the 100 breast (53.45), junior Olivia Santos in the 50 free (25.11), freshman Amanda McGraw in the one-meter diving event (261.75), junior Kaitlyn Lange in the 100 free (55.61) and sophomore Sophia Howard in the three-meter diving competition (251.10).

The Bearcats also swept both relays in the men's and women's meets.

Binghamton is schedule to host the Colgate women's team on Oct. 27 while the men's squad hosts NJIT on Nov. 17.