ANDERSON, S.C. -- Former Anderson College tennis player Rodrigo da Silva has been named head men's and women's tennis coach at AC, athletic director Bobby Beville announced Monday. da Silva replaces Brett Simpson, who returned to Lander University, his alma mater, in May after eight years at Anderson. da Silva comes to Anderson from the Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Fla., where he has been a coach for three years. His responsibilities at the Academy included head coach of the Bollettieri traveling team and traveling with players to ITF and professional tournaments. In his three years at the Bollettieri Academy, da Silva has traveled to Switzerland, France, Australia, Italy, Central America, and Portugal for tournaments. "I'm happy to be back in Anderson," da Silva said. "I hope to continue the great legacy of AC tennis. The school has always been good in tennis. Brett did a great job. I hope to keep it up and make it better. "I'm anxious to meet with the players and talk about my style and what I expect from them. I anticipating making some changes in the physical training." da Silva has a B.S. in sports science from Anderson College and a M.S. in athletic coaching education from West Virginia University. During his playing career at Anderson, he was a member of AC's 1997 National Christian College Athletic Association national championship team. "I have high goals for both programs at Anderson," da Silva said. "I want to make the programs better. They can always be better. I'm looking foward to working with a team again. I want to give our players a good life experience and a college experience they will never forget." The men's team won the 2005 Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference tournament and advanced to the NCAA regionals. Prior to joining the Bollettieri Academy in August 2003, da Silva was a tennis professional at the West View Tennis Center in Morgantown, W.Va. He started his coaching career as an assistant coach at Anderson College in '98. While assisting at Anderson, he was the head professional at Anderson's Cardinal Racquet Club from February '97 to December '99. During his stay at Cardinal, the club was named the SCTA Club of the Year and the '98 Southern Club of the Year. "My wife (Pelzer native Stephanie Horne da Silva) and I both are happy to returning to the upstate," he said. "We know a lot of people and we know the area. There's not a better fit."