Stetson University Athletics

Olympian and international beach volleyball standout Alvaro Filho joined the Stetson Beach Volleyball staff in January 2024 as an assistant coach… Brings more than 15 years of international playing experience and extensive knowledge of the sport to one of the nation's premier collegiate beach volleyball programs. Filho works alongside head coach Kristina Hernandez in the development of Stetson's student-athletes, bringing experience from the highest levels of international competition to the Hatters… His background as an Olympian and longtime member of the Brazilian National Team provides Stetson's players with a unique perspective in technical development, tactics and high-performance competition. Since arriving in DeLand, Filho has brought an elite international perspective to Stetson's beach volleyball program… His extensive playing career with the Brazilian National Team allows him to provide instruction shaped by years of competing against the world's top beach volleyball players. Filho's experience in technical development, tactical preparation and high-performance competition has complemented the foundation established by Hernandez while helping Stetson continue competing at the conference and national levels. Filho represented Brazil at the Tokyo Olympic Games, competing in men's beach volleyball on one of the sport's biggest international stages… His Olympic appearance highlighted a playing career that spanned more than 15 years of international competition. Filho began his international career with Brazil's U19 National Team in 2008 before developing into one of the country's premier beach volleyball players… Went on to represent Brazil in major international competitions around the world. During his international career, Filho captured seven gold medals and three silver medals with the Brazilian National Team while earning numerous individual honors. The 2013 season marked one of the defining stretches of Filho's international career… Was named Most Valuable Player of the 2013 World Championships, establishing himself among the world's elite beach volleyball players. His breakout season also earned him the World Tour's Top Rookie of the Year and Most Improved Player honors. Filho continued to establish himself as a respected competitor on the international beach volleyball circuit following his breakout 2013 season… In 2017, he was named the World Tour's Sportsman of the Year. His combination of international success, individual recognition and Olympic experience created an extensive playing résumé before he transitioned into collegiate coaching. Filho has continued his impact on the sport through USA Volleyball's Beach National Team Development Program… In 2024, he served as an assistant coach with the Men's U21 group during the Beach NTDP Winter Training Series in Manhattan Beach, Calif., working alongside three-time Olympic medalist April Ross. In 2025, Filho again served as an assistant coach with the Men's U21 group during the Beach NTDP Spring Training Series… The event brought together many of the nation's top junior beach volleyball athletes for high-level training and competition under a staff that also included Ross and Florida State's Travis Mewhirter. Filho's role expanded in 2026 when he was selected as head coach of the Men's U19/20 group for the Beach NTDP Spring Training Series in Manhattan Beach… Led a coaching staff that included Mewhirter, Arizona State's Paul Araiza and Loyola Marymount's Jacinda Ramirez. Filho's experience competing against the world's best beach volleyball players provides a unique foundation for his work in player development… His coaching emphasizes the technical, tactical and competitive elements required to perform at an elite level. At Stetson and through USA Volleyball's development pipeline, Filho has been able to translate more than a decade of international experience into the development of collegiate and junior athletes. Filho's international playing career began in 2008 with Brazil's U19 National Team and eventually took him to the Olympic Games… Along the way, he represented Brazil in elite international competition, collected 10 gold and silver medals and received some of the sport's top individual honors. His career included recognition as World Championships MVP, World Tour Top Rookie, World Tour Most Improved Player and World Tour Sportsman of the Year. Following an accomplished international playing career, Filho transitioned his experience into coaching and joined Stetson's beach volleyball program in January 2024… His coaching résumé has since expanded to include multiple roles within USA Volleyball's Beach National Team Development Program. Filho's combination of Olympic experience, international success, national-team development work and collegiate coaching provides Stetson's student-athletes with a perspective developed at the highest levels of beach volleyball. Filho resides in Kissimmee, Fla.