Ryce Stoughtenborough
San Francisco Chronicle
Stanford student and women’s soccer team captain Katie Meyer was found dead in an on-campus residence, university officials said Wednesday.
Meyer, 22, was a senior majoring in international relations and a resident assistant, the university said.
“Katie was extraordinarily committed to everything and everyone in her world,” Stanford said in a statement. “Her friends describe her as a larger-than-life team player in all her pursuits.”
Stanford referred to Meyer as a “fiercely competitive” soccer player, noting her two critical saves in a penalty shootout against North Carolina that won Stanford’s third NCAA women’s soccer championship in 2019. Meyer’s celebration made national headlines after she blocked a penalty kick.
Stanford women’s soccer tweeted, “We love you, Katie,” along with a photo of the goalkeeper in uniform, smiling.
The United States Soccer Federation also expressed its condolences, tweeting, “The thoughts and hearts of the entire U.S. Soccer Federation are with the family, friends, teammates and loved ones of Katie Meyer.”
Campbell Hoskins, a first-year student at Crothers Hall where Meyer was a residence assistant, said Meyer was a kind presence in the dorm and that she was known to advocate for mental health.
“Her personality was alive,” Hoskins said. “She was just nice to everyone. … It’s just terrible.”
The university offered a range of counseling services to students. It did not announce Meyer’s cause of death.
“There are no words to express the emptiness that we feel at this moment,” the university said. “We can all help by checking in on friends and loved ones. Be caring to yourselves and one another.”
The team gathered on Ueland Field on Wednesday afternoon, many of the players emotional as they embraced and comforted one another.
Carter Henderson, Stanford’s associate athletics director, said the university would not make Meyer’s teammates or coaches available for interviews, citing the team’s desire for privacy.
“There are no words to express the deep sadness we feel about Katie Meyer’s passing,” Athletic Director Bernard Muir said in a statement. “Katie was an outstanding student-athlete and a beloved, passionate leader here at Stanford. Our entire athletics community is heartbroken, and Katie will be deeply missed.”
Meyer is the fourth Stanford student to die over the past year.
Last February, Stanford said medical student Rose Wong was found dead by suicide in an on-campus residence. Six months later, engineering student Jacob Meisel was killed in Palo Alto after being struck by a train in what the Santa Clara County coroner ruled a suicide. This year, in late January, law student Dylan Simmons was found dead in an on-campus residence.
Chronicle staff writer
Lauren Hernández contributed to this report.
RIP Katie Meyer 🙏
— Women's International Champions Cup (@iccwomen) March 3, 2022
Our condolences go out to her loved ones in this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/mskrHlhrri
Ryce Stoughtenborough and Andres Picon are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: ryce.stoughtenborough@sfchronicle.com; andy.picon@hearst.com
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