They beat Vietnam 3-0 to start the 2023 World Cup. One of the starters in the midfield was an emerging star on the national team and in the NWSL. Now, due to injury issues, she has become a cautionary tale.
Savannah DeMelo was named to the USWNT 2023 World Cup roster due to her strong play with Racing Louisville in the NWSL. She was a star of one of the newer teams in the league. Now she is suing the doctors associated with that team.
In a lawsuit against the University of Louisville Health and its physicians, DeMelo is alleging that she was misdiagnosed with a heart condition that led to a scary on-field incident. On Sept. 14, 2025, DeMelo collapsed, and it's recently been revealed that she went into cardiac arrest.
She is alleging that the doctors did not properly treat her in the months prior to the incident. She spoke of dizziness and shortness air and despite tests, the doctors did not properly diagnose.
Savannah Demelo is diagnosed with Hypothyroidism and Graves' disease.
It is a sad situation for a player who was emerging on the international stage. She is now looking to get compensation and acknowledgement that mistakes were made by the physician for Louisville.
The former USWNT player has a right to fight for herself and to get to the bottom of what may cost her a longer career than just a few years. She was invited to a camp in January 2025 by USWNT head coach Emma Hayes.
It signaled that she was still on the radar for the national team, including a spot in the 2027 World Cup in Brazil next summer, despite the fact that she has not played in a competitive soccer game since her near-fatal incident last September.
Savannah DeMelo has seven appearances for the United States National Team.
There is no timetable for her return to play soccer. She is currently under contract with Racing Louisville FC through this season. There has not been any chatter about her returning to a National Team Camp.
Her fight to gain compensation and possibly change the way women's players are diagnosed and treated will be an important one, and not just for herself. DeMelo's lawsuit could lead to a sweeping change in teams and how they look at certain conditions.
There is not a time table for the lawsuit or an indication of how long it will take. Hopefully, for soccer fans, DeMelo will be seen on the pitch soon.
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