September 17: National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Louisville Racing midfielder Savannah DeMelo is suing University of Louisville Health and two doctors, alleging they failed to diagnose a heart condition that caused her to go into cardiac arrest on the field in September 2025.
DeMelo revealed the cause of his collapse for the first time on Monday, the one-year anniversary. He said in an Instagram post that he “collapsed due to an undiagnosed cardiac arrhythmia, which caused him to go into cardiac arrest.” The lawsuit alleges doctors failed to properly diagnose his conditions before the incident in Seattle on Sept. 14, 2025. He has not played since.
“I will never be able to put into words how emotionally difficult this year has been,” DeMelo wrote, thanking doctors at the University of Washington and the Mayo Clinic. “There’s been a lot of uncertainty and emotions intertwined with all of this.”
His was the second on-field heart scare of the 2025 NWSL season, after Angel City’s Savy King collapsed in May and underwent surgery. The league was widely criticized for letting this game go on and vowed to stop future games under similar circumstances, which it did with DeMelo.
The lawsuit alleges negligence against Dr. Jennifer Daily, Dr. Sarabjeet Suri and the health care system, citing continued care costs, lost income and “permanent impairment of her power to work and earn money.” Daily is the medical director for Racing Louisville, though that collegiate deal reportedly ends this year. University of Louisville Health said it could not comment on pending litigation.
DeMelo, the fourth overall pick in the 2022 draft, made two starts for the United States in the 2023 World Cup. He could return this month and is finalizing a contract extension.