BOSTON, Mass. (February 2, 2026) – Emerson College first year setter Ryan Chen has been named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Rookie of the Week for men's volleyball the Conference office announced this afternoon.

Chen

Goldman

Chen earns the weekly recognition from the GNAC for the first time after being named to the weekly honor roll following Emerson's first match of the season. He dished out 8.73 assists per set while also contributing 0.64 service aces and 1.45 digs to go with four block assists over the Lions three matches last week, scoring 11.0 points. He is the first Emerson volleyball student-athlete to receive weekly honors from the GNAC since Bryson Beck, '25 earned back-to-back GNAC Setter of the Week honors last March.

Chen averaged 9.38 assists, 0.75 service aces and 1.75 digs per set with three block assists and a pair of kills during Emerson's doubleheader split with Vermont State University Johnson on Saturday. He dished out 33 assists and three service aces in the 3-0 win in match one against the Badgers and then totaled a season-best 42 assists for the Lions in match two with a season-high 14 digs for his first career double-double, adding three aces and three block assists. Chen dished out a match-high 21 assists at Wheaton College on Thursday with two digs, an ace and block assist.'

Chen has started all four matches in his first collegiate season for Emerson and leads the GNAC with his 9.00 assists per set, while ranking second to teammate Davin Clement with 0.79 service aces per set, while also averaging 1.21 digs and 0.43 blocks per set, having also totaled three kills and 17.0 points over his 14 sets played for the Lions.

Also collecting weekly honors from the GNAC is junior outside hitter Riley Goldman with a spot on the weekly honor roll. Goldman led the Emerson attack with 3.09 kills per set and a team-high 36.5 points over the three matches. He highlighted Saturday's doubleheader against Vermont State Johnson with back-to-back career performances, posting 12 kills on .500 hitting in the opener before following with a career-high 13 kills in the nightcap, finishing the day with a team-best 26.5 points.

Emerson (2-2, 0-0 GNAC) returns to action on Thursday when it visits Dean College for a non-conference match at 7 p.m. The Lions next home match is on Saturday when they host Curry College at Bobby Brown and Steven Plofker Gymnasium at 5 p.m.

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