Stanford and the family of Katie Meyer, the former star soccer goalkeeper and two-time team captain who committed suicide in 2022, have reached a settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit filed against the university, the two sides announced Monday.
At the time of his death, Meyer, 22, was facing disciplinary action for allegedly spilling coffee on a Stanford football player accused of sexually assaulting a female football player. Meyer's father said his daughter was defending that teammate, who was a minor at the time.
The lawsuit, filed in November 2022, claimed that on the night of his death, Stanford “negligently and recklessly” sent him the formal disciplinary notice that “contained threatening language regarding sanctions and possible 'expulsion from the university.'”
A Stanford spokesperson at the time disputed the lawsuit's claim that the university was responsible for his death.
In a joint statement Monday, the school and Meyer's family announced that Stanford would create a Katie Meyer Leadership Award “that would be awarded to an exceptional Stanford student-athlete each year.” The statement, which did not mention any monetary settlement, said Meyer's jersey “will be retired to honor the impact Katie had on Stanford women's soccer.”
The university also announced that it will “adopt the principles of Katie Meyer's Law to provide support to students” facing the school's disciplinary process.
The law was passed by the California legislature and signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2024 in honor of Meyer. Requires any California college or university that receives public funding for financial aid to have a designated advisor during disciplinary proceedings.
Additionally, according to the joint statement, Stanford and the Meyer family agreed to “collaborate…to launch an initiative focused on the mental health and well-being of student-athletes.”
ESPN released a documentary about Meyer's story last year titled “Save: The Katie Meyer Story.”
