Stanford, family of Katie Meyer settle wrongful death lawsuit

Stanford University, along with the family of Katie Meyer, the late star goalkeeper and two-time captain who took her own life in 2022, have reached an agreement regarding a wrongful death lawsuit brought against the institution, as both parties revealed on Monday.

At the time of her passing, Meyer, aged 21, was undergoing disciplinary measures for allegedly spilling coffee on a Stanford football player who had been accused of sexually assaulting a female soccer player. According to Meyer’s father, his daughter was standing up for that teammate, who was a minor at the time.

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The lawsuit, which was filed in November 2022, alleged that, on the evening of her death, Stanford «negligently and recklessly» issued her the formal disciplinary notice that «included threatening language about possible sanctions and potential ‘expulsion from the university.'»

A spokesperson for Stanford at the time contested the lawsuit’s claim that the university was accountable for her death.

In a joint announcement on Monday, both the school and Meyer’s family stated that Stanford will establish a Katie Meyer Leadership Award «to be presented to an outstanding Stanford student-athlete annually.» The statement, which did not reference any financial settlement, indicated that Meyer’s jersey «will be retired to commemorate the influence Katie had on Stanford women’s soccer.»

The university further declared that it will «embrace the principles of Katie Meyer’s Law to offer support to students» undergoing the school’s disciplinary process.

This law was enacted by the California legislature and approved by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2024 in memory of the former soccer player. It requires any California college or university that receives public financial aid to have a designated adviser during disciplinary processes.

Moreover, the joint statement noted that Stanford and the Meyer family agreed to «work together to initiate a program aimed at the mental health and well-being of student-athletes.»

ESPN introduced a documentary focused on Meyer’s narrative last year titled «Save: The Katie Meyer Story.»