Celia Pulido - Staff Directory

Celia Pulido

Title:
Graduate Assistant

A native of León, Guanajuato, Mexico, Celia Pulido is one of the most decorated swimmers in Southern Illinois history, and she now brings that experience to the Saluki coaching staff while continuing to compete at the highest level.

As a freshman she was named MVC Freshman Swimmer of the Year and First-Team All-MVC. She went on to set multiple program records, including in the 100-yard butterfly and backstroke. In 2024 she became Southern Illinois' first NCAA championship finalist in 39 years, placing 7th in the 100-yard backstroke. In 2025, Pulido became the first mid-major woman to swim under 50 seconds in that event. She finished fourth at the 2025 NCAA Championships, earned First-Team All-American honors, and was named MVC Swimmer of the Year. She also won three individual Missouri Valley Conference titles in her senior season, and as of 2026, she still holds five individual Missouri Valley Conference records and two relay records.

Internationally, Pulido represented Mexico at the 2024 Paris Olympics, finishing 21st in the 100-meter backstroke. In 2025 she returned to the global stage at the World Championships in Singapore, swimming the 50-meter backstroke, 50-meter butterfly, and setting new Mexican national records on both. Her 2025 season earned her the Swammy Award as Central American/Caribbean Female Swimmer of the Year.

Her most recent achievement came at the Central American and Caribbean Games, where she won 11 medals, the most by any athlete in a single edition. She did it while serving as a graduate assistant, and training under SIU head coach Geoff Hanson.

Pulido earned a bachelor’s degree in management, and is now pursuing a master's degree in healthcare administration and health informatics, with graduation expected in May 2027.