The Penn State media guide doesn't list swimming as one of Ricardo Villar's extracurricular activities.

Despite the guide's lack of mention, the 1999 All-American midfielder has spent more time in the pool this season than running on the Jeffrey Field turf that he had become so accustomed to doing.

But Villar isn't training to join the swim team, he is rehabilitating the ankle that has kept him out of all but two games this season.

Prior to the men's soccer team's trip to Holland this August, Villar was preparing for what was supposed to be another All-American season and possibly a chance at the 2000 Hermann Award, which recognizes the nation's top player.

All of those expectations changed in the blink of an eye or, more appropriately, a turn of the ankle.

Winning a game 2-1 during the Lions' Holland trip this summer, Villar was pushed from behind by an opponent, causing him to fall on his ankle.

At first the doctors had said that it should only take three to six weeks to heal which, if he had a quick recovery, would allow Villar to play in the team's first weekend of regular season play.

"Since I had never been seriously injured before, I started walking and so I thought that I could play," the Sao Paulo, Brazil, native said.

Villar, who had 35 points last season for Penn State, did play in the first two games against Vermont and New Hampshire but it wasn't the same highlight film that people were used to seeing. In the two games, he came up scoreless and could only manage four total shots.

"It was frustrating seeing the gaps and taking shots that I would make nine out of 10 times and not making them," Villar said. "Playing made me realize it was a lot more serious than I thought."

The injury ended up being a lot more serious. It was discovered that he had a deep bone bruise in his ankle and that there is a possibility of some ligament damage.

Since then, he has been spending the weeks lifting weights and doing pool workouts, which doesn't put as much stress on the ankle as running does, while on the weekend he sits in the stands watching the Lions he was supposed to be leading.

Though Villar has been sitting and waiting, the rest of the team has not.

The Lions have compiled a 9-3 record and are ranked No. 13 in the nation by NSCAA without a healthy Villar.

"There is a huge deal about Ricardo not playing," assistant coach Kevin Doyle said. "He's only one player out of 10. He's a big tenth but he's still only one part."

Senior midfielder Nathaniel Krumpe agrees with Doyle that the team has the potential to do well if Villar is in or out.

"He could come back next week or months from now so we have to do it on our own right now," Krumpe said. "Our team has the ability to win no matter who gets injured."

Krumpe does recognize what the team is missing without the play-making ability that Villar brings, though.

"It's his senses we miss the most," Krumpe said. "It's his ability to see things that other people don't that gives him, or other teammates, the opportunities to score — and we miss that."

The Lions didn't seem to miss Villar's goal-scoring ability this past weekend as Krumpe and company put up eight goals in two Big Ten matches against Northwestern and Wisconsin, which helped to erase the memory of a three-game losing streak they were riding prior to last weekend.

Already halfway through the season and no end in sight to the injury, the possibility of Villar taking a medical redshirt for this season seems like it is becoming more and more of a reality -- but don't tell that to Villar.

"I'm not going to accept the idea of redshirting," the Brazilian said. "If I start thinking about that then I will give up on my ankle and I don't need that right now."

Although this has been a trying ordeal for Villar and the rest of the team, both Villar and Doyle still see the glass as half-full.

"It's really frustrating, but what can I do? Kick the water in the pool?" Villar said. "I try to think that all things happen for a reason. If I get through this, I hope I will come back and give the team a push when they need it."

"In the long run this might be good for our team because it gives the younger guys a chance to step in and be leaders," Doyle added. "When we get Ricardo back we will be that much better."

If and when Villar is ready to towel off and trade his bathing suit for a Penn State soccer uniform, one can only wonder how much better the team will be.