{{short description|Mexican volleyball player}} {{family name hatnote|Contreras|Gámez|lang=Spanish}} {{Infobox volleyball player | name = Iván Contreras | image = | imagesize = | caption = | fullname = Gerardo Iván Contreras Gámez | nickname = | nationality = {{MEX}} | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|1|29|mf=y}} | birth_place = Tampico, Mexico | death_date = | death_place = | hometown = | height = {{height|m=1.98|precision=0}} | weight = {{convert|96|kg|lb|abbr=on}} | spike = {{convert|345|cm|abbr=on}} | block = {{convert|335|cm|abbr=on}} | position = Opposite/Wing Spiker | currentnumber= 7 | currentclub = {{flagicon|PUR}} Leones de Ponce | years = | clubs = 5 | nationalyears= | nationalteam = {{flagicon|MEX}} Mexico | updated = November 2011 | medaltemplates = <!-- don't include medal templates unless there is a medal {{MedalSport | Men's Volleyball }} {{MedalCountry | {{MEX}} }} --> }}
'''Gerardo Iván Contreras Gámez''' (born January 29, 1974, in Tampico) is a former Mexican professional volleyball player. His position on the field is outside hitter. Contreras has been voted ''player of the year'' in 2005, 2007 and 2008 in Belgium. Contreras is also captain of Knack Roeselare.
Contreras attended Penn State University where he won an NCAA National Championship as a freshman and was named the AVCA National Player of the Year in 1997.
Among Contreras' former teams are Osnabrück in Germany, MTV Näfels in Switzerland, Knack Roeselare in Belgium and Ziraat Bankası Ankara in Turkey.
In 2004, he won the MVP award from the Liga de Voleibol Superior Masculino, playing with Gigantes de Adjuntas.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.femexvoleibol.net/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=114 | title=Gerardo Iván Contreras: El Más Valioso | author=FEMEX Voleibol | language=es | access-date=2010-01-23}}</ref> He played for this team from 2002 to 2006.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.primerahora.com/deportes/voleibol/nota/contrerassuenaconregresaraadjuntas-146422 | title=Contreras sueña con regresar a Adjuntas | date=11 January 2008 | publisher=Primera Hora | language=es | access-date=2010-01-23}}</ref>
Before playing volleyball, Contreras was practicing athletics, especially hurdling, high jump and long jump. Contreras had also tried karate and tennis, but he was tired of individual sports and started to play volleyball, which he preferred over basketball.<ref name="Ivan Contreras, van hordenloper tot kapitein van Europese topper Roeselare">{{cite news | title = Ivan Contreras, van hordenloper tot kapitein van Europese topper Roeselare | url = http://www.sportwereld.be/Article/Detail.aspx?ArticleID=OO197K8H | publisher = Sportwereld | date = 2008-03-06 | access-date = 2008-03-15}}</ref>
On May 27, 2008, Contreras revealed that he will sign a lucrative one-year deal with Ziraat Bankası Ankara.<ref name="Contreras kiest voor het geld van Ankara">{{cite news | title = Contreras kiest voor het geld van Ankara | url = http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza.be/2.302/fietserke_zaalsporten/1.312720 | publisher = Sporza.be | date = 2008-05-27 | access-date = 2008-05-27}}</ref> He returned to Roeselare after one season.
In recognition of his performance during the 2009, he won the ''"Luchador Olmeca"'' award in January, 2010.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://femexvoleibol.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1003 | title=Destacados voleibolistas galardonados por la CODEME | author=FEMEX Voleibol | language=es | access-date=2010-01-23}}</ref>
==Clubs== *{{flagicon|USA}} Penn State Nittany Lions men's volleyball *{{flagicon|SUI}} MTV Näfels (1997–2000) *{{flagicon|PUR}} Gigantes de Adjuntas (2000) *{{flagicon|BEL}} Knack Roeselare (2000–2008) *{{flagicon|PUR}} Gigantes de Adjuntas (2002–2006) *{{flagicon|TUR}} Ziraat Bankası Ankara (2008–2009) *{{flagicon|BEL}} Knack Roeselare (2009–2011) *{{flagicon|PUR}} Leones de Ponce (2011)
==Individual awards== * 1994 "NCAA AVCA Second Team All American" * 1995 "NCAA AVCA First Team All American" * 1996 "NCAA AVCA First Team All American" * 1997 "NCAA AVCA First Team All American and Player of the Year" * 1998 "Voted Runner up Player of the Year in Switzerland" * 1999 "Player of the Year in Switzerland" * 2000 "Player of the Year in Switzerland" * 2001 "Top Teams Cup Champion" * 2004 ''Liga de Voleibol Superior Masculino "MVP"'' * 2004–2005 "European Champions League Best Scorer" * 2004–2005 "Player of the Year in Belgium" * 2006–2007 "Player of the Year in Belgium" * 2007–2008 "European Champions League Best Scorer and Best Attacker" * 2007–2008 "Player of the Year in Belgium" * 2008 "Best Scorer Olympic Qualifier, Caguas P.R." * 2009 "MVP in World Championships Qualifier, Guadalajara Mexico" * 2010 ''Luchador Olmeca'' * 2011 "Best Scorer Panamerican Games, Guadalajara, Mexico" 18
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20100428031134/http://www.contrerasivan.com/ Ivan's website] * [http://www.fivb.org/EN/Volleyball/Competitions/WorldChampionships/2010/Men/Rounds/Players.asp?Tourn=MQ10NO-I&Team=MEX&No=117213 FIVB profile] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20120302205209/http://www.knackrandstad.be/nl/93-8-60/ivan-contreras.html Iván Contreras profile at knackrandstad.be] {{in lang|nl}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Contreras, Ivan}} Category:1974 births Category:Living people Category:Sportspeople from Tampico, Tamaulipas Category:Volleyball players at the 2007 Pan American Games Category:Volleyball players at the 2011 Pan American Games Category:Penn State Nittany Lions men's volleyball players Category:Ziraat Bankası volleyball players Category:Mexican men's volleyball players Category:Mexican expatriate sportspeople in the United States Category:Mexican expatriate sportspeople in Switzerland Category:Mexican expatriate sportspeople in Puerto Rico Category:Mexican expatriate sportspeople in Belgium Category:Mexican expatriate sportspeople in Turkey Category:Pan American Games competitors for Mexico