UofL doctors missed warning signs before player's cardiac arrest, according to new lawsuit

Savannah DeMelo says a cardiologist and sports medicine doctor failed to catch her heart condition before she collapsed during a September 2025 match in Seattle.

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A Louisville professional soccer player has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against University of Louisville Physicians, UofL Health, and two of her treating physicians, alleging they failed to properly diagnose and treat a heart condition before she went into cardiac arrest during a game.

Racing Louisville's Savannah DeMelo filed the complaint earlier this month in Jefferson Circuit Court. She has not played since the cardiac arrest, which happened a year ago this week.

According to the complaint, DeMelo was under Dr. Jennifer Daily's continuous care from January 2024 through July 2026. In late March 2025, Daily referred DeMelo to Dr. Sarabjeet Suri for evaluation after reporting chest pain, dizziness and shortness of breath. Suri examined her, took a history and ordered diagnostic tests on March 27, 2025, and continued treating her through September 19, 2025.

In September 2025, DeMelo suffered a cardiac arrest while playing professional soccer in Seattle. She was subsequently diagnosed and treated for ventricular tachycardia, an abnormal heart rhythm.

The lawsuit alleges that Suri, Daily, and the UofL entities failed to properly diagnose and treat DeMelo's underlying cardiac disease, and that this negligence was a substantial factor in causing her cardiac arrest and resulting injuries. It seeks damages for medical expenses, past and future lost income, permanent impairment of her ability to earn a living, and pain and suffering.

What happened

The Racing Louisville midfielder was taken by ambulance to a Seattle hospital after collapsing on the field, appearing unresponsive. Medics raced onto the pitch to treat her before she was stretchered into an ambulance and the game was abandoned.

Racing Louisville released a statement after the game saying DeMelo was "stable and alert" after experiencing a medical emergency.

DeMelo made a public statement about the event for the first time this week. "I respect and appreciate the privacy everyone has met me with while going through everything I have this year," DeMelo wrote on Instagram. "I'll never be able to fully put into words how emotionally hard this year has been. There has been a lot of uncertainty and emotions intertwined with it all."

According to ESPN, DeMelo was the No. 4 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft and started in the United States' opening two games at the 2023 World Cup.

UofL Health declined to comment on the lawsuit, writing in an email the organization does not comment on pending litigation.

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