Women's Swimming & Diving Courtesy of William Paterson Athletics

Ed Gurka Announces Retirement After 49 Successful Seasons Leading William Paterson’s Swimming and Diving Programs

WAYNE, N.J. – After 49 successful seasons on the William Paterson University pool deck, men's and women's swimming and diving head coach Ed Gurka has announced his retirement effective July 1, 2025.
 
Gurka mentored generations of Pioneers since he took charge of the program in 1976, registering a 413-225 (.647) men's record and a 448-223-4 (.667) women's record for a total mark of 861-448-4 (.657) during regular-season dual meets.
 
Gurka's swimmers and divers produced five national titles and 42 all-America certificates, the most recent being seven-time all-American Kristin Clegg, who set school records in the 100 individual medley, 50-, 100- and 200-yard backstrokes (2002-06). Joe Gentile (1981-86) was one of the all-time Pioneer greats on the men's side, winning five national championships (including two then-Division III records) en route to being named the New Jersey Athletic Conference Male Student-Athlete of the 1980s. Among his many accomplishments, Gentile has the distinction of being the first swimmer to win the 50-, 100- and 200-free events at a single NCAA Championship.
 
"It has been an honor and a privilege to be the head coach at William Paterson University for 49 years," Gurka said. "I have had the honor to work with all-Americans, conference champions, national record holders, conference record holders, and team record holders. I brought teams to train in the winter training trip to Trinidad and Tobago, Curacao, Barbados, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Florida, Aruba, Bermuda and Hawaii. This was a tremendous experience for me and our swimmers who have made lifelong memories and lifelong friends. I consider myself one of the luckiest people in the world to have worked at William Paterson College/University."
 
He earned his 400th victory as the Pioneer women's coach on Nov. 12, 2019, against Purchase, his 400th win as the WP men's coach Jan. 23, 2024, against Lehman, and his 800th overall win on Oct. 25, 2022, during the women's meet against Baruch. In 1989, he became the first swim coach in NCAA history (all Divisions) to win 100 meets as coach of both the men's and women's swimming and diving teams at one school.
 
"It is the end of an era here at WP with the retirement of Coach Ed Gurka after 49 years of unwavering dedication to our University," said William Paterson Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation Kristen Foley. "He has shaped the futures of countless student-athletes, and we are grateful for his services and contributions to WP and our swimming and diving programs. Ed and his student-athletes always represented the University and the Athletics Department well, with the utmost respect and professionalism. We wish Ed and his family all the best in his retirement."
 
Gentile was one of 13 student-athletes Gurka coached who have earned entry into the William Paterson University Alumni Association Athletic Hall of Fame. The other 12 are Brian Lavin ('89), Tonya Shipp Bradshaw ('91), Connie Wassberg ('92), Lisa Bedford-Gutekunst ('93), Sheri Glenn Wachenheim ('93), Laurie Gazdalski Genna ('96), James Crowder ('99), Rebecca Schirrman Gruver ('02), Kristin Clegg-Bell ('06), Voyteck Karas ('10), Grace McKay ('10) and Vera Blazevska ('17).
 
A three-time all-state swimmer at Wayne Valley High School, Gurka earned a bachelor's degree in physical education while competing in the butterfly and individual medley at the University of Maryland. He and his wife, Janet, have three children: sons Eddie and Brian, and daughter Lauren. Eddie was a swimmer at Marist College, and Brian competed at RPI.
 
For more about William Paterson Athletics, visit https://www.wpupioneers.com/ or https://www.wpupioneers.com/socialmedia.
 
Gurka's WP Coaching Highlights
  • 861 overall wins across 49 seasons (1976-2025)
  • 448 victories as the women's head coach
  • 413 wins as the men's head coach
  • Fifteen NCAA Championship team appearances (nine women's, six men's)
  • Three team Metropolitan Championships titles (two men's, one women's) 
  • Eleven men's Metropolitan Conference dual-meet championship titles
  • Five individual NCAA Division III national titles
  • Thirteen inductees into the William Paterson Alumni Association Athletic Hall of Fame
  • Seventy-six NCAA Championship individual appearances (48 individual women's events, five women's relays, 22 individual men's events, one men's relay)
  • Nineteen women's individual and six women's relay all-America awards
  • Sixteen men's individual and one men's relay all-America awards
  • One Metropolitan Conference Most Outstanding Women's Swimmer
  • Six New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) major awards (One Male Diver of the Year, two Female Divers of the Year, two Female Swimmers of the Year, one Female Rookie of the Year) 
  • Forty-nine selections to the All-NJAC Team (35 women's, 14 men's)
  • Forty-four College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Scholar All-America Team awards (30 women's, 14 men's)
  • Eight academic all-America awards (six women, two men)
  • Fourteen academic all-district honorees (seven women, seven men)
  • Thirty-eight Academic All-Metropolitan Conference Team recipients (28 women, 10 men)
  • One hundred fifty-one spots on the Academic All-NJAC Team (95 women, 56 men)