Arilson Silva joined the Auburn Swimming and Diving staff as associate head coach in April of 2025.

Silva arrives on the Plains after spending the past two seasons as part of the nationally-ranked Georgia Tech program. This season, Silva helped qualify three Yellowjackets to the NCAA Championships, including Mert Kilavuz who enters NCAAs with the 12th-fastest time in the country in the 1650 free, freshman Uros Zivanovic and Berke Saka. 

Silva’s coaching was a direct contributor to Anna Hadjiloizou breaking the women’s 50 free record. Jillian Ferrari, Vivien Rothwell, Kiah Smith and Clarissa Sabin also put Silva’s training to good use, breaking multiple relay records throughout the season. 

No stranger to international competition, Silva has coached athletes who have participated in every Olympic Games since 2008, among them Auburn legend and world record holder Cesar Cielo toward the end of his career. In addition to his Olympic Coaching success, Silva’s athletes boast seven world championship medals. 

Along with Cielo, Silva helped Felipe Franca become the first man to swim sub-27 seconds in the 50-meter breaststroke in 2009, setting the world record at 26.89. Andriy Govorov’s 50-meter butterfly world record (22.27), set in 2018, still stands. 

While in his home country of Brazil, Silva was a member of the Brazilian Swimming Technical Council and the Brazilian Academy of Coaches Olympic Institute. Silva’s experience also includes participation in the International Coaching Enrichment Program promoted by the United States Olympic Committee and the University of Delaware. 

Silva graduated with a bachelor’s degree in physical education and Sportive Techniques from Guarulhos University. He also took an extension course specializing in Exercise Physiology (1993- Medicine School of São Paulo) and Sportive Training (1994- University of São Paulo).