Contreras shows divine strength, skill

Sometimes when watching an athlete there is just something special that separates him from his peers.

In the fall of 1993, there was a buzz in Penn State volleyball circles that incoming recruit Ivan Contreras was such an athlete.

"We heard we were getting this guy from Mexico," former Nittany Lion and Contreras' teammate Ed Josefoski said, "and everybody kept telling us how good he was."

Despite the rumors about the new kid, there was much skepticism. But those sentiments soon faded.

"When he first came into the gym, you could just see the talent was there," Josefoski said. "You could get the sense he was going to be a special kid."

Referring to Contreras as a "special kid" could be considered an understatement, but volleyball players can be a rather cocky bunch, so praise and acceptance does not always come easily for the young and talented.

But that was not the case for Contreras.

Then Penn State assistant coach and now head coach Mark Pavlik still remembers a discussion he had with former Lion Brian Miller shortly after Contreras started practicing with Penn State.

"Brian came by my office, and I asked him how Ivan was coming along," Pavlik said. "He told me, 'Coach, he's a great player. Beyond that, he's great because he swears in English.'

"That gave him instant credibility."

After gaining acceptance, Contreras could move on to the thing he does best -- play volleyball.

Standing 6 feet 5 with powerful arms that can spike a ball with ungodly velocity and legs that produce awe-inspiring vertical leaps, Contreras has the perfect volleyball body. But despite those physical tools, he still had doubts about his move to Penn State.

Contreras played well for the Mexican national team before coming north to State College, but he was unsure how his game would translate to college volleyball in the United States.

"I didn't know what to expect when I got here," Contreras said. "I wasn't sure where my level of play was. I was not even sure if I would get to play."

Contreras did play, and he played a lot. In fact, he was a rather large part of a very special year. The 1994 Penn State volleyball season proved to be a revelation.

Never before had a team from the East walked away from the NCAA championships with a title, but that is what the Lions did. It was a groundbreaking event in men's collegiate volleyball.

The Lions beat UCLA in the championship game, ending decades of domination by the West. Penn State surprised the volleyball world, but perhaps the biggest surprise of the season was the unusually confident play of Contreras.

As a freshman he made a mark immediately, placing near the top of almost all the Lions' statistical categories. Other coaches in the country also noticed the young middle blocker, honoring him with second-team All-American status.

"I was very surprised by how well things went that year," said Contreras. "To go from not being sure if I would even go to Penn State, and then come to the U.S. and do so well . . . I was just really happy."

But for Contreras, contentment and satisfaction are often short-lived emotions.

"The feeling I had after the game against UCLA was the of the best I have ever had," he said, "but I realized I could do more. So then I tried to think of ways to take it to the next level."

As the Lions prepared to defend their title at the 1995 NCAA Championships, tragedy struck for co-captain Josefoski. His father suffered a heart attack, and although he would recover, it left Josefoski in a slight state of shock for the Final Four.

Through the season Josefoski provided the fire that drove Penn State, but now that fire was not nearly as intense. The Lions needed someone to step up and lead the team.

"That's when I told myself, 'Ivan, this is your chance. This is when you have to step it up and help the team, and in a lot of ways, yourself,' " Contreras said. "That is when I took charge of the team -- or at least tried."

Like most goals Contreras sets for himself, he succeeded. He led Penn State to a five-set win over Hawaii in the semifinals before the Lions lost to UCLA in the final.

While the team may have lost its bid to repeat as national champions, Contreras accomplished his personal goal by taking his game to another level.

Josefoski went on to play professionally in Brazil, but his last weekend as a Lion and Contreras' performance have not been forgotten.

"What Ivan did that weekend was very impressive," Josefoski said. "For me, playing with Ivan was somewhat of humbling experience. He's just very gifted."

And so far Contreras has not wasted any of his gifts. With an unparalleled work ethic and desire to excel, he has been able to produce amazing numbers on a consistent basis. But it was the Hawaii match that proved to be the most significant event in his growth as a leader.

"Looking back, that match would seem to be Ivan's maturing match," Pavlik said. "That is when he started to climb to become the player he has become."

And what he has become is one of the country's best volleyball players.

Contreras was named a first-team All-American in 1995 and 1996, making him one of the most decorated volleyball player to ever put on a Penn State jersey.

But Contreras doesn't shine only on the court. He has earned GTE Academic All-District honors and will graduate in May with a degree in electrical engineering. With the total package of academics and uncommon athletic ability, Contreras has not only been a fan favorite, but he also has gained universal respect from opposing coaches.

"The only thing wrong with Ivan is that he doesn't play for Hawaii," Rainbow coach Mike Wilton said. "Ivan is just the type of player that doesn't come around very often."

Indeed. The list of achievements and accolades is endless, but Contreras takes it all in stride.

"In terms of accomplishments, I assimilate them," Contreras said. "I get happy for a little bit, but then I think about what I still need to improve on. Accomplishments like that are nice, but they are not a big deal to me."

Perhaps Contreras' greatest asset is his undying hunger to improve. That is what brought him from being a local standout in Tampico, Mexico, to where he is today.

He wanted to play for the Mexican national team, and he did. He wanted to go to college and play volleyball in the United States, and he did.

"We are very proud of all of things Ivan has done for himself," his mother Carmen said. "He's done it all on his own. He's very responsible, and whenever he sets a goal for himself he works until he gets it.

"Of course it was hard to let him go," she added, "but this is what he worked for, and it is great that he has done so well."

The Lions are benefiting from all of Contreras' work. They are now 26-1 and on track to make a serious run for the national championship. An NCAA title this year would give Contreras his second ring and serve as bookends to his remarkable Penn State career.

"Winning the championship this year would just be the greatest," Contreras said. "It would be like a dream to finish like that."

And while his career at Penn State is building to what could be a dramatic finish, his volleyball playing days are far from numbered. Contreras is still a member of the Mexican national team, but what he really wants is to play professionally.

"I would like to play in Japan, but I'll go anywhere," Contreras said. "It's kind of scary because you don't know where you are going to go. I've been lucky to this point, so hopefully I'll be lucky for a few more months and get a contract."

That contract should come, but luck will have nothing to with it.