The Tragic Death Of Stanford Soccer Star Katie Meyer

The following article includes mentions of suicide.

Katie Meyer, the goalkeeper for Stanford University's soccer team, was found dead in an on-campus residence, the school revealed on March 2. She was 22 years old. According to the New York Post, the reason for her death was ruled as suicide. Santa Clara County's investigation did not find any evidence that could suggest foul play.

"Our entire community is devastated by Katie's death, and we share our deepest condolences with Katie's family and everyone who knew her at Stanford, across the country, and around the world," the university said in a statement, according to CNN. "Katie touched so many lives." The institution also noted that Katie's friends described her as a "larger-than-life" player who brought great passion to the Cardinal women's soccer team and women's sports. The Burbank, California, native leaves behind two sisters.

According to the Post, Katie captained the Cardinal and played a crucial role in the team's victory against North Carolina in the 2019 NCAA women's soccer championship. Per CNN, Katie made two critical saves in penalties to take the cup home. Katie — a senior — minored in history and majored in international relations, per the Post. The university's soccer team took to Instagram to share the news of Meyer's tragic death. "We love you, Katie," the post read.

Star goalie Katie Meyer's death came as a shock to many, with emotions running high as the university announced her death. Meyer's family was understandably heartbroken over the news, tpp. They told NBC News that they had spoken to Meyer just hours before her death. The family revealed that their FaceTime conversation was about spring break, and Katie seemed excited about visiting Cancun, Mexico in the coming days.

"We're struggling right now. We have so many questions that I don't know if we'll ever have answers concerning her death," Katie's mother, Gina Meyer, said during her interview with TODAY. "The last couple of days are like a parent's worst nightmare, and you don't wake up from it, so it's just horrific," she added.

According to CNN, Katie's mother wore a red sweatshirt, which belonged to her daughter, for the interview. "[E]very mom is gonna understand it, but when you smell it, it smells like her. Smells like Katie. You know, just her scent," she sobbed. "I'm wearing it because I want to be close to her, so yes, it is hers."

During the NBC interview, Katie Meyer's parents said they saw "no red flags" before her death. "We had no red flags, no red flags that anything was wrong, that she was upset," Katie's mother, Gina Meyer, said in the NBC News interview. She added, "She was excited. She had a lot on her plate. She had a lot going on. But she was happy. She was in great spirits." Katie died within a few hours of their conversation.

Her parents continue to look for answers surrounding their daughter's death. Gina also spoke about the pressure young athletes face in their lives. "There's so much pressure I think on athletes, right, especially at that high-level balancing academics and a highly competitive environment. And there is anxiety, and there is stress to be perfect, to be the best, to be number one," Gina said. The couple also revealed that they believed their daughter had received an email about disciplinary action from the university. "Katie, being Katie, was defending a teammate on campus over an incident and the repercussions of her defending that teammate," Katie's father, Steven Meyer, said in the interview.

The university didn't have much to say about the disciplinary action. "We are not able to share information about confidential student disciplinary matters. We as a university community continue to grieve with Katie's family and cherish our memories of her," it told TODAY in a statement.

After her death, a GoFundMe page was set up for Katie Meyer's family. Andrea Scoralle, the fundraiser organizer, remembered Katie in her message, saying that she touched many lives in many ways. She also revealed that many had asked how they could help the grieving Meyer family.

"Your prayers, thoughts, and yes, financial support are greatly appreciated — while food and gift cards are welcome, we believe that monetary gifts would be the most beneficial to their family right now. Please give them what you can to show them our love and support and to help them with funeral and other expenses through this unthinkable time. All donations will go directly to Katie's family," she wrote on the fundraiser page.

With more than 1,700 donations as of the morning on March 5, the fundraiser has raised nearly $170,000 thus far — and it seems to be well on its way toward the $200,000 goal.

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ at​ 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.