Suhl: Lai Xiang-chen became the first Taiwanese woman to play professional volleyball in Germany after a German team announced signing her on Sunday. The VfB Suhl LOTTO Thringen professional women's volleyball team announced Lai's signing on its official website and Instagram, saying it was pleased to add the 30-year-old Lai as the team's libero to strengthen VfB's defense.

According to Focus Taiwan, the team praised Lai's international quality and highlighted her training in Taiwan's competitive youth programs and several seasons in her home country's top league. Lai has been recognized as a key player in reception and defense and has represented Taiwan's national team in various international tournaments, including the Asian Women's Volleyball Cup, the Asian Volleyball Championship, and the Asian Games.

VfB head coach L¡szl³ Holl³sy expressed his enthusiasm for Lai's inclusion in the team, noting her strong technique, speed, and skill in reception and defense. "Xiang-Chen impressed us not only with her game intelligence, but also with her professional attitude and presence on the court," Holl³sy said. He added that Lai is expected to play a pivotal role in the team's defensive structure in the upcoming season.

Before Lai, the only other Taiwanese woman to play volleyball professionally in Europe was Yang Yi-chen, who joined Italy's Lardini Filottrano as a setter in 2018. Lai recently played for China's Guangdong Shenzhen Glorious in the China Volleyball League for two seasons before securing her German contract.

Lai expressed excitement about the new challenges ahead, stating she chose Suhl for its conducive environment for her development both as a player and a person. "I'm excited about the new challenges and look forward to being part of the team and giving my best in the coming season," she said over VfB's website.

Lai revealed that playing in Europe had been a long-standing dream and credited VfB's discovery of her tournament tapes as the catalyst for this opportunity. She views this as not only a career milestone but also a chance for personal growth and new excitement.

As she prepares for the European season starting in October, Lai plans to spend time in Taiwan enhancing her physical fitness. She also expressed her readiness to represent Taiwan at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan's Aichi Prefecture if selected, stating that donning the national uniform is always an honor.