How Michelle Alozie’s College Degree Plays Into Her Postgame Recovery

When Michelle Alozie was traded from the Houston Dash to the Chicago Stars FC late last December, her subsequent move to Illinois in January brought a flurry of winter snow that almost kept her inside. “I couldn’t even enjoy the city,” she tells Elite Daily over Zoom earlier this month.

Luckily, now that the weather is warming up, the NWSL star and Yale University alum is looking forward to more coffee runs and Chicago MLB matchups with her teammates in her new stomping grounds: “Whenever we have a day off after a win, we usually try to catch a Cubs game.”

“It’s so important to know the finite details that are happening in your body and why recovery is so important.”

Beyond the team bonding and post-win celebrations, the 29-year-old’s top priority is always the post-game reset. As a Yale alum with a degree in biology and a second career as a cancer research technician, the World Cup veteran views performance through a cellular lens. “It’s so important to know the finite details that are happening in your body and why recovery is so important,” she says. When it comes to post-workout hydration and electrolytes, her scientific background makes refueling automatic: “Knowing the molecular reasoning behind it makes me do it almost like a second breath.”

Below, the Chicago Stars FC defender dishes on how she likes to fuel up after a game, her typical wind-down routine, and the wellness must-haves she keeps in her gym bag.

Elite Daily: Walk me through your routine after a game.

Michelle Alozie: My athletic trainers are always making sure that we get some type of hydration, so I grab an Electrolit. I then go and say hi to as many fans and family members as possible. Once I’m in the locker room, I shower and have treatments like stretching or cold tubs to start the recovery process. We have so many games, so I need to make sure that I am recovering as quickly as possible.

ED: As one of Electrolit’s chosen athletes, do you have any favorite flavors?

MA: They just came out with a cherry ice one. I brought 20 to the locker room, and now everyone in my team is obsessed with the flavor.

ED: How does your biology degree factor into your approach to wellness?

MA: Science is always developing, and there’s always new innovations being learned. But for the most part, it’s pretty black-and-white. I know that hydration is important for your body, and also why just drinking water doesn’t mean you’re actually hydrated. You need electrolytes. I’m really grateful and thankful that I did get my degree in that because it makes things like recovery much easier.

ED: Do you have any favorite recovery rituals after an intense workout or game?

MA: I love red light therapy. We have these beds in the locker room that you can slip in. It’s kind of like a blanket, but then there are red lights embedded in the blanket. I will just sit in that thing. Being cold is not appealing to me. Like ice baths, yeah, they’re cool. Cryotherapy? Sure — but I want something nice and warm. Sometimes a sauna is too hot, but a red light is perfect.

ED: Do you have a red light mask at home?

MA: Of course. That’s always part of my nighttime routine.

ED: What else is in your routine, once you get home from a game and want to unwind?

MA: You’re so wired that it takes a really long time to calm down. I’m up for quite a bit afterward, which is so unfortunate because I’m so tired. What I love to do is take a shower. Sometimes I’ll do a bath with Epsom salt, but I’m usually kind of lazy, so I’ll skip that one.

I love doing skin care and having my mask on. I also like to get fluids in, because my body just exhausted all of its resources. Usually, I’ll enjoy a smoothie as well to get some carbs in. Then I play lo-fi music with a calm, soothing beat. Sometimes I’ll have the TV playing in the background, and I’m always on my phone scrolling on TikTok.

ED: What corner of the FYP are you in right now?

MA: I am on kindergarten or preschool TikTok. It’s just the cutest thing.

ED: What artists are on your post-game playlist?

MA: I have a lot of Afrobeats right now. I love Burna Boy or Davido. I’m also loving Fola and Llona.

ED: Are there any products in your skin care routine that you want to shout out?

MA: I’m loving Korean skin care like Anua. My go-to is Vanicream. I’ve been telling all my teammates about that, and they love it. It’s just so simple. Hyaluronic acid is always good, and my red light mask.

ED: Are you craving anything when you get off the field?

MA: Something salty or bubbly, because my body is so dehydrated.

ED: What products do you like to keep in your gym bag?

MA: I always have a little Electrolit packet with me, just in case I ever need it. I also have my headphones. I always have my ChapStick on me. I’ve also been trying to learn the harmonica, so I also always have that in my bag at all times. And usually some type of gummy candy.

ED: What are some ways you deal with a game that doesn’t go well?

MA: Going over the game and watching it while communicating with your teammates is so beneficial. In the game, you think that things are happening a million miles per hour. Then you watch the film back, and you’re like, “Wow, I actually had so much time,” or, “We could have done this and this.” I love collaborating with my teammates and picking their brains on what they think I could have done better. When we have such a long season, we have to get over the game if it’s a win or a loss.

ED: When you get off the field, who’s the first person you want to text?

MA: My parents. We have a family group chat. I have to read up on their conversations because they live-text me during games.

ED: What are you most excited for this season?

MA: I’m coming here after being at a club for five years, so it’s pushed me outside of my comfort zone. I’m excited for that, and having a different position on this team.

ED: What are you manifesting for yourself the rest of 2026?

MA: I would love to be a part of a team that goes to the playoffs. I would also love to qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil with Nigeria.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.