On Monday, Stanford University announced a settlement with the family of Katie Meyer, the former standout soccer goalkeeper and two-time team captain who died by suicide in 2022.
This settlement addresses a wrongful death lawsuit initiated by Meyer’s family against the university in November 2022.
At the time of her passing, Meyer, 21, was undergoing disciplinary measures for allegedly spilling coffee on a Stanford football player accused of sexually assaulting a female soccer player. Meyer’s father stated that his daughter was defending that teammate, who was a minor at the time.
The lawsuit claimed that, on the evening of her death, Stanford “negligently and recklessly” sent her a formal disciplinary notice that “contained threatening language regarding sanctions and potential ‘removal from the university.'”
A spokesperson for Stanford at that time contested the lawsuit’s claim that the university was accountable for her death.
In a joint statement released on Monday, the university and Meyer’s family revealed that Stanford will establish a Katie Meyer Leadership Award “to be presented annually to an outstanding Stanford student-athlete.” The statement, which did not reference any financial settlement, indicated that Meyer’s jersey “will be retired to honor the influence Katie had on Stanford women’s soccer.”
The university also declared its intention to “adopt the principles of Katie Meyer’s Law to provide support to students” who are navigating the school’s disciplinary process.
This law was enacted by the California legislature and signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2024 in memory of the former soccer player. It requires that any California college or university receiving public funding for financial aid appoint a designated adviser during disciplinary proceedings.
Furthermore, the joint statement noted that Stanford and the Meyer family agreed to “collaborate to launch an initiative aimed at the mental health and well-being of student-athletes.”
Last year, ESPN released a documentary about Meyer’s story titled “Save: The Katie Meyer Story.”
