William Paterson University of New Jersey Women's Swimming

Gurka entered the 2016-17 campaign with a 335-182 mark as the mens head coach and a 361-181-3 record as the womens head coach for an overall slate of 696-363-3 in 40 seasons. Making history is nothing new to Gurka. In 1989, he became the first swim coach in NCAA (all Divisions) history to win 100 meets as coach of both the mens and womens swimming and diving teams at one school. Gurka has coached 16 All-Americans, the most recent being seven-time honoree Kristin Clegg, who set school records in the 100 IM, 50-, 100- and 200-yard backstrokes (2002-06). Joe Gentile was one of the all-time Pioneer greats on the mens side, winning five national championships (including two then-Division III records) in the 1980s en route to being named the New Jersey Athletic Conference Male Student-Athlete of the 1980s. Among his many accomplishments, Gentile also has the distinction of being the first swimmer to win the 50-, 100- and 200-free events at a single NCAA Championships. Gentile is one of 11 swimmers Gurka coached who have earned entry into the William Paterson University Alumni Association Athletic Hall of Fame. The other nine are Brian Lavin (89), Tonya Shipp Bradshaw (91), Connie Wassberg (92), Melissa Bedford-Gutekunst (93), Laurie Gazdalski Genna (96), Rebecca Schirrman Gruver (02), Kristin Clegg-Bell (06), James Crowder (99), Sheri Glenn Wachenheim (93) and Voyteck Karas (10). A three-time all-state swimmer at Wayne Valley High School, Gurka earned a bachelors 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.