Recruiting Profile
Amherst College Visit Seals Commitment of Four-Star Hu
by Rhiannon Potkey, 26 January 2024
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Albert Hu (WTN: 16.1) had Amherst College high on his list of schools when he began the recruiting process. He emailed head coach Todd Doebler before his junior year and received an immediate response.
They stayed in touch throughout the next few months, and Hu took a visit to the campus in Massachusetts last March. The trip sealed the decision for the four-star senior from Great Neck, New York.
Four-Star Albert Hu Has Committed to Amherst
© Contributed Photo
“A huge part of the reason I chose Amherst is because when I visited I really loved the campus – it’s a good area of Massachusetts – and I also felt the kids there were nice,” Hu said. “Overall, it’s a good community, and the academics there are very good. Since it’s Division III, it’s a good balance between my sports life and school work.”
Hu was born in the Chicago area and moved to New York when he was 3. He began playing tennis a decade ago at a local tennis center in Great Neck.
“At first, it was just for fun because I enjoyed it and my parents also thought it was a good sport and a good path for me to follow,” he said. “My parents never played until I started playing so they could play with me.”
Hu alternated between soccer and tennis until age 15, when he decided to focus just on tennis. He still follows professional soccer closely, especially Manchester United and Barcelona.
“It was mainly because of the individual aspect of tennis,” Hu said. “I think it’s pretty cool that, unlike a team, you have to rely on yourself to pull through matches. I just get this sense of satisfaction from it.”
Playing tennis in college became a realistic goal once Hu reached high school.
“In middle school, I was just playing for fun. I was playing competitively, but didn’t know how good I would get or the level I would be,” Hu said. “I wasn’t sure where it was going to go, but college became more of an option for me as I got better in high school.”
Hu, who attends Great Neck South High, never wanted to do online school. He has a set of friends he is really close with and wants the social interaction regular high school offers.
“Another important part of my tennis journey has been playing high school tennis for my school,” Hu said. “Since tennis is normally an individual sport, I think the high school team has allowed me to obtain a team experience. Fighting to win for my teammates, not just myself, also was a very eye-opening experience for me. This is another reason why I wanted to play at the college level, because it gives me the experience of a team environment.”
Like most teenagers, Hu likes hanging out with friends, watching TV shows and playing video games. Now that he’s made his college decision, he’s ready to enjoy the rest of his senior year without as much pressure.
Hu is interested in pursuing a career in computer science or economics. Once he arrives at Amherst and joins the Mammoths next fall, he’ll begin working on his next set of goals on and off the court.
“I want to keep working hard and keep practicing tennis and playing matches and keeping my grades good,” he said. “Then, hopefully after I graduate, I can get a masters and find a good job in the city or somewhere.”
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About Rhiannon Potkey
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Rhiannon Potkey is a veteran sportswriter with more than two
decades of experience in journalism. Potkey has covered many
sports at many levels and has a passion for finding great stories.
Potkey has covered the U.S. Open, junior sectional and national
events, college conference championships and Davis Cup matches.
Potkey is currently Content Strategist for Tennis Recruiting. You
can reach Rhiannon by email at
[email protected].