At 58, RIC Tennis Player Defied the Odds

For a sport like tennis that relies heavily on lower body strength and footwork, Li “Lucy” Hsiu Hou, at age 58, is a force of nature. Her strength is endurance and poise under pressure.

According to RIC Tennis Coach Adam Spring her “level of play goes up in the biggest moments and she’s able to outlast her opponents during big points and her record reflects this.”

When the Rhode Island College women’s tennis team won its 12th Little East Conference (LEC) Championship in October, it was Hou’s victory in singles play that clinched the title.

Fellow players gathered to give Hou, whom everyone calls Lucy, a big celebratory hug after the win. The senior called it one of the highlights of her four years on the tennis squad and the fulfillment of a letter she wrote to herself after enrolling in RIC’s accounting program at age 55.

“You’re becoming a college athlete,” she wrote. “That’s amazing. Your dream is coming true. Just do it. Be fearless.”

Spring says Hou has been fearless and so much more. 

“She brings a unique perspective to the team,” he says. “Not only is Lucy a quality player on the court, but she can also connect with everyone on our squad in an authentic way that makes her indispensable. She has such a love for the sport of tennis and that is infectious.”

A native of Taiwan and a mother of three boys, Hou says she didn’t pursue tennis until age 48 while living with her family in Kingston, R.I.

“As a third grader, my youngest son was taking tennis lessons and would get grumpy and not want to practice,” she recalls. “So, I asked the coach, ‘Can I play?’ because I didn’t want to waste the practice time or the money for lessons.”

Hou continued to hone her tennis skills by facing off against other casual players at the Pond View Racquet Club in Westerly.

At age 55, she decided to enroll at RIC because she wanted to play competitively. She says her goal was to work as hard in the classroom as on the court.

“In every class, I see the professors dedicating themselves by preparing lectures and sharing their experiences,” says Hou, who has a 3.8 G.P.A. “The way I give back is through showing respect and doing my best.”

Hou holds the same dream as any other accounting major: to work for a “Big 4” firm.

“I would also like to work for companies that have Taiwanese CEOs or strong business relationships with Taiwan,” she says. My bilingual background may help me get a job.”

On the court, Hou was a freshman sensation, earning a spot on the LEC’s Women’s Tennis Sportsmanship Team in 2022 and notching a 9-2 record during the 2025-26 regular season.

“When I’m playing tennis, I feel like it takes everything off my mind,” she says. “I love that feeling of freedom. I am so grateful.”

Spring says Lucy’s performance on the court has evolved significantly since her arrival.

“Initially, Lucy was a player who was still learning how to compete at the college game and against younger opponents,” he says. “Over the course of four seasons, she has transformed into a complete player. Her strokes are refined; her fitness is exceptional and her ability to take coaching and adapt in pressure situations is second to none. She’s an inspiration.”

Ivy Par, a RIC junior on the tennis team, says Lucy has been an inspiration on and off the court.

“She’s one of the strongest-minded people I have ever met,” Par says. “No matter how her day is going, she always shows up to practice with a smile. Having her as a teammate has been such a meaningful experience. She has cared for us (team members) deeply, almost as if we were her own. She’s taught me so much about advocating for myself.” 

Spring says he will miss everything about Lucy once she graduates in May.

“I think her teammates have learned how to embrace each moment because of her commitment to them,” he adds. “She is one of the defining players in our program’s history.”