Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

Publication Date

Summer 7-8-2025

Abstract

Soccer places high physiological demands on athletes, and match congestion—playing more than two games per week—is a growing concern at the NCAA Division I level. Limited recovery time between matches can impair performance and increase injury risk, prompting widespread use of recovery strategies. However, research on their effectiveness remains inconclusive, and most existing studies focus on male athletes, leaving a gap in evidence specific to female players. This review and observational study aim to evaluate non-nutritional recovery strategies in NCAA Division I women’s soccer and examine how recovery duration influences performance.

Match load data were collected from eleven female athletes across ten competitive matches. External and internal workloads were monitored using STATSports Apex GPS units and heart rate monitors. External metrics included total distance (TD), high-speed running distance (HSRaD), speed intensity (SI), accelerations, and decelerations. Internal metrics included average heart rate, peak heart rate, and red zone time (≥85% HRmax).

Comparisons between 3-day (3D) and 4-day (4D) recovery periods showed significantly higher external workloads following 4D recovery for TD (p = 0.05), HSRaD (p = 0.02), SI (p = 0.03), accelerations (p = 0.03), and decelerations (p = 0.02). Players also experienced fewer impacts (p = 0.008) after 4D, suggesting improved movement and engagement. No significant differences were found in internal load metrics.

These findings suggest that a 4-day recovery period supports greater external performance without increasing internal stress, emphasizing the importance of recovery planning during congested schedules.

Keywords

athlete monitoring, external load, internal load, GPS tracking, recovery duration, performance analysis, sports science, women’s sports.

Sponsors

None

Document Type

Thesis

Language

English

Degree Name

Physical Education, Sports and Exercise Science

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences

First Committee Member (Chair)

Dr. Fabiano Amorim

Second Committee Member

Dr. Whitley Atkins

Third Committee Member

Dr. Leonard Kravitz

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