Katie Meyer ’22 died in an undergraduate residence on Tuesday, the University announced in a Wednesday statement addressed to the Stanford community.
Meyer was a team captain and goalkeeper for the Stanford women’s soccer team. She was also a resident assistant (RA) for Crothers Hall.
“Katie was a bright shining light for so many on the field and in our community,” wrote Vice Provost for Student Affairs Susie Brubaker-Cole and Athletic Director Bernard Muir. “There are no words to express the emptiness that we feel at this moment.”
Katie Diane Meyer was born on Jan. 20, 2000, in Burbank, Calif. Meyer graduated second in her class from the Century Academy in Thousand Oaks, California in 2018 after playing soccer for Newbury Park High school for three years and participating on multiple U.S. national teams.
As an RA and leader within the campus community, Meyer was “extraordinarily committed to everything and everyone in her world,” Brubaker-Cole and Muir wrote. Meyer was pursuing a degree in International Relations and a minor in History. An ambitious learner, Meyer was named to the Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll in both of her full seasons with the team.
Meyer will be remembered for her presence both off and on the field at Stanford. After joining the soccer team in 2018 and redshirting her first season, Meyer quickly garnered attention for her skill in the goal and her passion for the sport. In 2019, Meyer led Stanford to its third NCAA women’s soccer title, making two critical saves against North Carolina in a penalty shootout.
As a redshirt freshman in 2019, Meyer made Stanford Athletics history, allowing only four goals in the season, tying for the fewest ever within the women’s soccer program. In 2020, participating in just her second full season with the team, Meyer was named team captain and started all 14 matches in goal.
Meyer is survived by her parents, Steven and Gina Meyer, and her two sisters Samantha and Siena.
“Katie was an outstanding student-athlete and a beloved, passionate leader here at Stanford,” Muir wrote in a separate Wednesday statement. “Our entire athletics community is heartbroken and Katie will be deeply missed.”
Support is available for students through Stanford’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) 24/7 at (650) 723-3785. The Graduate Life Office (GLO) is available 24/7 via the Stanford operator at (650) 723-7288, pager 25085 and during office hours at (650) 736-7078. The Bridge Peer Counseling Center offers counseling by trained students 24/7 at (650) 723-3392. The Faculty Staff Help Center, located in Kingscote Gardens, offers confidential help for Stanford faculty and staff.