The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the influence of lower body strength characteristics on change of direction (COD) performance in NCAA Division I soccer athletes. Specifically, this dissertation served to examine: 1) whether the lower body strength and power were related to COD performance, 2) whether stronger athletes had superior COD performance than weaker athletes, 3) whether the force production asymmetry and strength dominant (SD) associated with COD performance, and 4) weather sex differences existed in kinetic variables during the stand phase of cutting. The major findings of this dissertation include: 1) strength and power characteristics were moderately to strongly related to COD performance. Furthermore, soccer athletes’ straight-line sprinting times were significantly related to COD performance outcomes. 2) Stronger athletes demonstrated the tendency to perform superiorly in modified 505 COD test when compared to weaker athletes. 3) Athletes who had more lower body force production asymmetry were more likely to perform asymmetrically during a COD test. However, the SD and the magnitude of asymmetry were not limiting factors for athletes’ COD performance.4) Male athletes demonstrated statistically significantly less COD total time, longer ground contact time (GCT), and better ability to apply forces and impulses while performing cutting. Based on the results, vertical forces and impulses during both the braking and propulsive phases of cutting ranged from 2.51 to 3.14 times larger than horizontal direction. In summary, stronger and more powerful soccer athletes were able to perform in a superior manner for both the COD tasks and straight-line sprinting. This may be due to the ability to produce high force and power during the critical time periods. Although force production asymmetry during related to the asymmetrical performance during COD tasks, the SD and the magnitude of asymmetry did not limit the COD performance. Finally, statistical differences existed between sexes in kinetic variables during cutting may be due to the different approaches to apply force in this task. Moreover, the ability to generate higher force and impulse in the vertical direction could affect COD performance.