Ed Gurka Retires after 49 Seasons Leading William Paterson Swimming
Ed Gurka, who led William Paterson University swimming and diving for 49 seasons, announced his retirement on Monday.
Gurka took over the Pioneers, located in northern New Jersey, in 1976. He posted an 861-448-4 record in dual meets, with 413 wins in men’s competition and 448 among the men.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to be the head coach at William Paterson University for 49 years,” Gurka said in a press release. “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.”
Gurka mentored five national champions and 42 All-Americans at the Division III level, his teams qualifying for NCAAs on 15 occasions with 76 individuals. Among his best swimmers were seven-time All-American Kristin Clegg and five-time NCAA champ Joe Gentile. They are two of 13 members of the Alumni Association Athletic Hall of Fame that he has coached.
He became the first coach in any division of NCAA coaching to win both 100 men’s and 100 women’s swim meets at one school when he achieve the feat in 1989. He won three Metropolitan Conference Championships titles (two men’s, one women’s) and 11 dual-met titles.
Gurka was an all-state swimmer at Wayne Valley High School, not far from Paterson’s campus. He was a butterflier and individual medley specialist at the University of Maryland. Two of his three children – sons Eddie (at Marist College) and Brian (at RPI) – became college swimmers.
“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,” William Paterson Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation Kristen Foley said. “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.”
