Racing Louisville midfielder Savannah DeMelo has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against UofL Health and two doctors, alleging they failed to properly diagnose and treat a heart condition in the months before she went into cardiac arrest during a match in Seattle. The suit, filed in Jefferson Circuit Court, comes almost exactly one year after DeMelo collapsed on the field against Seattle Reign FC.
According to WLKY, DeMelo was diagnosed with ventricular tachycardia, a dangerous, rapid heart rhythm, after suffering cardiac arrest on September 14, 2025. The lawsuit names UofL Health and two physicians as defendants, though the team itself is not named in the filing, as reported by Bluesky.
The Guardian describes events in the complaint that occurred six months apart. DeMelo experienced chest tightness and dizziness during a March 22, 2025 match. The lawsuit alleges her doctors never properly diagnosed or treated her underlying heart condition in the months that followed.
What Happened On The Field In Seattle
Per WLKY, DeMelo experienced chest pain, dizziness, and shortness of breath before collapsing during the match. She was later treated for ventricular tachycardia. The collapse happened two minutes into first-half stoppage time during a scoreless match against Seattle Reign FC at Lumen Field, according to the Associated Press.
The game was called off, and the second half was completed two days later behind closed doors and broadcast on NWSL+ and Paramount+, the wire service reported. DeMelo had disclosed in May 2025 that she'd been diagnosed with Graves' disease and hyperthyroidism near the end of the 2024 season, an autoimmune condition that causes an overactive thyroid and abnormally rapid heart rate, according to reporting cited by ESPN.
Damages Sought And What UofL Health Is Saying
The lawsuit seeks damages for medical bills, lost income, permanent impairment, physical and mental suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life. The civil complaint, described in a post on Bluesky, outlines the damages sought.
UofL Health told WLKY it cannot comment because the case is pending. The filing's timing lines up with Kentucky's unusually tight legal window for such claims: under Kentucky Revised Statutes § 413.140(1)(e), medical malpractice and personal injury actions face a strict one-year statute of limitations, according to the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission — although the statute measures accrual from discovery of the injury rather than automatically from the collapse, DeMelo filed her suit a year and a day after her collapse.
A Rising Star With A Growing Profile
DeMelo entered the NWSL as the fourth overall pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft by Racing Louisville out of the University of Southern California, and she was later selected to the United States Women's National Team roster for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, according to MyNorthwest.
She was the second NWSL player to have a heart scare during the 2025 season, following a May 9, 2025 incident in which 20-year-old Angel City FC defender Savy King collapsed mid-match due to an undetected congenital heart defect, the Associated Press reported. King required heart surgery and was placed on medical leave.
League Overhauled Emergency Response After Two Collapses
The AP also reported that the Seattle match was postponed after DeMelo went into cardiac arrest. The NWSL Players Association had strongly pushed for automatic match suspensions following life-threatening events, per the same report.
UofL Health has a partnership with Racing Louisville FC. As Hoodline previously reported, the NWSL has experienced rapid commercial growth.
