Savannah DeMelo

Savannah DeMelo has signed a contract extension through the 2026 season with Racing Louisville FC.

 ERIC CRAWFORD

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – Racing Louisville FC midfielder Savannah DeMelo is awake and alert in a Seattle hospital, the club said late Sunday night. But concern remains high across the National Women’s Soccer League after the midfielder collapsed on the field during the first half of Racing’s match against the Seattle Reign.

“She’s at the hospital and stable and alert,” Jonathan Lintner, vice president of marketing and communications for LouCity FC said on WDRB in the Morning earlier today. “There’s a little bit more than we said in the statement from a positive standpoint, but we don’t want to overstep. But she was certainly able to communicate that she wanted everybody to know that she was all right.”

Reaction from around the league and the sport came via social media after news that the 27-year-old Bellflower, Calif., native had sat down in the 47th minute before falling backward.

Medical personnel responded quickly, and she was taken by ambulance to a local hospital for evaluation. The match was suspended and later abandoned, with the NWSL saying it will resume at a later date from the point of interruption. The score was 0–0.

“Savannah, who received immediate on-field care from medical personnel, is stable and alert,” Racing said in a statement. “She was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation.”

It was a frightening moment for players, staff and fans alike, just months after a similar on-field collapse by Angel City FC’s Savy King led to heart surgery and sparked league-wide scrutiny of medical protocols. That game had resumed after King was transported to the hospital. This time, the league paused the game immediately.

The NWSL released a statement Sunday night reinforcing its commitment to player safety and emphasizing that it was in close contact with Racing and Seattle.

“We recognize the concern this incident may cause, particularly in light of recent conversations around player safety,” the league said. “The NWSL remains committed to ensuring that the highest standards of medical care and emergency response are in place at every match.”

Seattle Reign echoed the sentiment: “We stand side by side with Louisville during this time and thank our fans for their support,” the club said.

Every team in the NWSL sent a message of support to a Racing Louisville update on the social media site X, as did her alma mater, the University of Southern California, which posted, “The Trojan Family is with you, Savannah. Sending all our love as well.”

DeMelo had previously left a March match in San Jose with chest tightness and dizziness and later revealed in an ESPN interview that she was managing Graves’ disease and hyperthyroidism — conditions that affect heart rate and energy levels. She said medication had helped her return to play and expressed confidence about handling the condition long-term.

"Playing a 90-minute game felt unbearable," DeMelo told ESPN. "I would get to maybe the 25th minute, and I felt like my heart was just like beating so fast, like out of my chest. I felt so out of breath, so out of shape. I didn't really know what was going on."

Since a diagnosis last fall, DeMelo has worked through various treatments and medication changes to get back to a place of comfort on the pitch.

“I still feel like I’m that player,” DeMelo told ESPN in May. “I’m hoping that kind of being back consistently now can help me to have consistent performances like I did.”

A 2022 first-round draft pick by Racing, DeMelo has scored 17 goals and recorded eight assists in three seasons. She was part of the U.S. roster for the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

The NWSL has not yet announced a makeup date for Sunday’s suspended match.

Racing Louisville says it will provide updates on DeMelo’s condition as appropriate.

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