The Stanford women’s soccer team retired No. 19 in a ceremony honoring the late Katie Meyer on Sept. 3. She was born in Burbank, California to parents Steven and Gina Meyer, and grew up alongside her two sisters in Newbury Park. From 2019 to 2022, Meyer was a star goalkeeper for the Cardinal and went on to captain the team in her final two seasons.
“I think her competitive spirit was on full display in the PK (penalty kick) shootout when we won the National Championship … She was so passionate. She loved soccer. She loved Stanford. She loved competing,” said head coach Paul Radclfiife in an interview with The Daily.
On March 1, 2022, Meyer tragically passed by suicide. Meyer had been awaiting news of disciplinary action, as a consequence of allegedly spilling hot coffee on a Stanford football player accused of sexually assaulting one of Meyer’s teammates. The night prior, Meyer received an email with information on the disciplinary action she would face, including that her diploma may be withheld. She had no legal advisory throughout the process.
In an ESPN E60 documentary on Meyer’s life and passing, Katie’s mother Gina Meyer said that her daughter likely “just went into sheer panic mode,” thinking to herself, “My life is over. I’m not going to get into law school. I’m going to get expelled.”
Meyer’s passing shook both the soccer world and the broader Stanford community. Not only did Meyer exemplify success as a student-athlete, but she was a pillar of leadership and positivity for her teammates and friends.
The Stanford women’s soccer emblem is easily recognized by its three white stars — one for each of the program’s three NCAA Championships. In 2019, Meyer’s standout performance in the title game penalty shootout led Stanford to its third and most recent National Championship.
Off the field, Meyer was pursuing a degree in international relations with a minor in history. Her professional pursuits included a selective seat within The Mayfield Fellows Program, preparation for her upcoming TEDx talk, plans to teach within the Stanford Design School and an ultimate goal of attending Stanford Law School.
“When I think about Katie, I just think of someone that was so happy and positive, and cared about others deeply, and just wanted to change the world and make it a better place,” said Radcliffe. “We used to tease her that she could be the next president of the United States, because she seemed to be friends with everybody on campus.”
In the months and years following, Meyer’s family, friends and followers came together to both honor her legacy and to promote awareness and visibility on mental health.
Steven and Gina Meyer started Katie’s Save, a non-profit that “fights for systemic changes at colleges and universities to promote mental health, protect students and prevent suicide,” as noted on their website. The non-profit also helped create and implement Katie Meyer’s Law in college institutions, including Stanford.
The law, which was signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom in September, 2024, mandates that college students facing disciplinary proceedings (as Meyer did) receive professional and external advisory.
The Meyers also filed a lawsuit against Stanford University for their daughter’s wrongful death in November 2022. In January 2026, Stanford and the Meyers reached a formal settlement. The resolution of the case included a mental health initiative from the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance, the creation of the Katie Meyer Leadership Award, the implementation of Katie Meyer’s Law in Stanford’s Office of Community Standards and the retirement of her jersey number — the only jersey to be retired in program history.
Naomi Girma ’22, Meyer’s former teammate and close friend, worked with teammates on the US Women’s National Team and Common Goal to start “Create the Space”, an initiative focused on the mental health of young athletes and changing the culture of silence in sports. Girma also shared an incredibly vulnerable and moving tribute to her friend in The Players’ Tribune.
“There are friends, and then there are true friends. Katie Meyer was a true friend, in every sense of the word. If you knew her, then I’ll never be able to do her justice. If you didn’t know her, then I’ll just have to try my best,” wrote Girma.
Current players are now wearing wristbands with phrases such as “Katie’s Save” or “F19GHT” in bold red text.
“She was a superb player, and someone we never want to forget,” said Radcliffe. “For me, it’s also remembering how important mental health is. We have to realize how important it is with young people to make sure we’re checking in on their mental health and making sure they’re doing okay.”