Evaluation of Body Composition and Athletic Performance in Division III Women's Volleyball Players During a...

Monitoring an athlete's physiology during a competitive season is important to determine the effectiveness of sport and strength and conditioning practices. The purpose of this study was to measure body composition and athletic performance across a competitive season in collegiate volleyball players. Sixteen female NCAA Division III volleyball players (age- 19.9 ± 1.4 years, height- 1.7 ± 0.1 m, mass- 72.6 ± 10.5 kg) participated in the study. Data was collected during three weeks of the season: preseason (T1), midseason (T2), and postseason (T3). Body composition measurements via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), vertical jump height, hemoglobin, and subjective measurements of perceived athletic performance and energy levels (1-10 scale) were measured at each timepoint. Data was analyzed using one-way repeated measures analysis of variance. There were no significant differences between jump heights (p = 0.378), hemoglobin (p = 0.144), subjective performance (p = 0.472), or energy levels across the season (p > 0.329). DXA results revealed a significant increase in overall bone mineral density (BMD) (p < 0.001). Segmental analysis revealed that left leg BMD significantly increased (p = 0.037). Lean body mass significantly increased (p = 0.012) while fat mass significantly decreased (p < 0.001) from T1 to T3. The results suggest that repetitive jumping during practices and games can have favorable impacts on body composition. Coaches, sport scientists and nutritionists can use this information to optimize adaptations for VB players while improving performance and reducing the risk of injury during a competitive season.