Stanford's Katie Meyer Died by Suicide, County Coroner Says

The coroner's office in Santa Clara County, California, has determined that Stanford goalkeeper Katie Meyer died by suicide.

The school announced Wednesday that Meyer, 22, died in an on-campus residence. The redshirt senior was a team captain and a key player for the Cardinal when they were crowned national champions in 2019.

Athletic director Bernard Muir and Susie Brubaker-Cole, a vice provost for student affairs, spoke about Meyer's impact:

"Katie was extraordinarily committed to everything and everyone in her world. Her friends describe her as a larger-than-life team player in all her pursuits, from choosing an academic discipline she said 'changed my perspective on the world and the very important challenges that we need to work together to overcome' to the passion she brought to the Cardinal women’s soccer program and to women’s sports in general. Fiercely competitive, Katie made two critical saves in a penalty shootout against North Carolina to help Stanford win its third NCAA women’s soccer championship in 2019. Katie was a bright shining light for so many on the field and in our community."

In the 2019 national championship game, Stanford and North Carolina were deadlocked at 0-0 after extra time, leading to a penalty shootout. Meyer made a pivotal save to help propel the Cardinal to the title, and her celebration after the save made her a viral sensation:

The NWSL's Orlando Pride and KC Current honored Meyer at their preseason friendly Wednesday:

For Thursday's 57-44 win over Oregon State, Stanford's women's basketball players wore wristbands with Meyer's initials:

In their statement, Muir and Brubaker-Cole emphasized the need to value mental health in the wake of Meyer's death.

"We can all help by checking in on friends and loved ones," they said. "Be caring to yourselves and one another. We will grieve this great loss together, and we will be here for each other."