The Rutgers announced the hiring of two new assistants, Cindy Zach and Ed Pretre. Cindy Zack, a native of Wood-Ridge, NJ brings seven years of collegiate coaching experience with her after spending the past four years as the Assistant Coach at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania while Pretre comes following a stint as the volunteer assistant at Princeton.

“I’ve never received such high praise for anyone I’ve ever employed as Coach Zack,” stated Coach Warner. “She has both the ability and the desire to help good swimmers become great, and good teams become championship teams.” During her time at Kuztown, the men’s team had their highest ever PSAC finish. Prior to that, she spent three years as Assistant Swim Coach at Montclair State University while obtaining her Masters degree in Physical Education/ Coaching and Sports Administration. Zack also graduated Montclair State University with a Bachelors degree in Mathematics and Computer Science. A four-year member of the varsity swim team, and captain her senior year, Zack was an All-Conference (NJAC) selection in the 100- and 200-yard butterfly, winning the Metropolitan Conference title in the 200 butterfly her sophomore year. She was also named the New Jersey Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (NJAIAW) Woman of the Year in 2000. Zack said "I am very excited to join the Rutgers coaching staff and am looking forward to working with the Scarlet Knight- student-athletes. It is a great opportunity to continue the improvement, stability, and national success that Coach Warner has brought to the Rutgers program."

Ed Pretre, a 1997 graduate of West Virginia University was recently a volunteer assistant at Princeton University where he worked with the men’s team under head coach Rob Orr. He worked with the breastrokers and flyers as the Tigers enjoyed a banner year at Princeton in 2005-06, by finishing first place in the Eastern Intercollegiate Swimming League Championships, as well as sharing first pace with Harvard for the EISL regular-dual meet season title. The Tigers also placed 21st at the Ncaa championships.

Coach Warner assessed the impact of Ed on the program. “Coach Pretre gives our program a special ability at skill development. He is already helping our swimmers improve. I’m very excited about the help he can give our swimmers over a full season.” A native of Westfield, New Jersey, Pretre was the head coach for 7 seasons at the Fanwood Scotch Plains Ymca swim team in New Jersey, where he helped rebuild there program and National team. During his tenure as head coach, he produced a YMCA National Champion in the 100 meter breastroke (2003, 2004), several Ymca All Americans, as well as coaching U.S Open and Junior National Qualifiers Ed was also a Special Education teacher for seven years and holds a masters degree in Special Education. "I am very excited to join the Rutgers family and help contribute to the success that both programs have made” begins Pretre. “Coach Warner has a great reputation and has built a strong swimming tradition and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a part of it. I am truly looking forward to continuing on that tradition and helping the Rutgers program to new heights.”