Hired in the summer of 2008 Jing Hou is the lead assistant coach on Karen Weatherington’s staff. Beginning his second year under Weatherington, Hou is starting his third season with the KSU program.
From 1995-98, Hou was an assistant coach for the Chinese Women’s Volleyball National Team. In 1996 at the 26th Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, Hou helped to lead the Chinese team to the silver medal, defeating Brazil in the semifinal round to advance to the finals. Also in 1996, Hou started his collegiate coaching career as an assistant coach at St. Louis University. During that season, the Billikens went 24-13 with a 9-5 mark in Conference USA.
Hou’s next stop on the coaching trail led him to the College of Southern Idaho. Hou was an assistant coach with the NJCAA Division I National Champions in 1997 and 2000. The 1997 squad lost just one match out of 65 while the 2000 team went 49-5 en route to the title.
Hou moved east in 2002 to become an assistant coach at the University of South Carolina. In his four seasons at USC, Hou helped to guide the Gamecocks to an appearance in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.
Most recently, Hou has been an assistant coach at Clemson University, helping the team to a 49-14 record. The Tigers had tremendous success with Hou on the bench. In 2006, the Tigers won 20 matches and finished third in the Atlantic Coast Conference, which at the time was the highest finish for Clemson since the 1999 season. The following year, the Tigers won the ACC with a 21-1 conference record and a 29-4 overall mark. Clemson advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament before losing to #12 UCLA.
Hou earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education/coaching from the Beijing Sports University in 1992. As an athlete, Hou was a setter for the Chinese Men’s National Volleyball Team in 1986 and from 1991-94. Hou also played with the Army Volleyball Professional Club, claiming four Wolrd Military Volleyball Championships and earning the award for Best Setter at the 1993 World Military Volleyball Championships in Bulgaria.
Hou and his wife, Ling, have a son (Bright - 10) and a daughter (Alice - 6). The couple resides in Suwanee, Ga.
