Stanford Soccer Player's Parents: She Was Upbeat Before Death

Update: The parents of a star Stanford soccer player who took her own life spoke out Friday in the hope of helping other families, saying they had no "red flags" she was struggling with her mental health, reports NBC News. In an appearance on the Today show, Gina and Steven Meyer described themselves as living "a parent's worst nightmare" after the death of 22-year-old Katie. The Meyers acknowledge the pressure that could come with playing competitive sports at a top university, but they spoke to their daughter just hours before she died and say she was "upbeat." The only possible trigger they can pinpoint is a disciplinary matter at the school, per CNN. Stanford declined to comment on that due to confidentiality reasons. Our original story from Thursday follows:

A family is mourning, while Stanford University and the world of women's soccer mourn alongside them, after a 22-year-old student and soccer player at the California school was found dead in her campus residence Wednesday just before noon. Katie Meyer, a team captain and the goalkeeper, was nationally known for making two critical saves during a penalty shootout in the 2019 women's soccer championship game; she helped lead Stanford to win the championship that year. The death of the senior majoring in international relations was found to be self-inflicted, police say, per the Wall Street Journal.

"There are no words to express the emptiness that we feel at this moment," says Stanford in a statement. The NCAA, the Pac-12 conference, the US soccer federation, the US women's national soccer team, Meyer's current and former teammates and opponents, and athletes including Alex Morgan were among those mourning the loss, People reports. "She was a role model and mentor to many of our young local athletes—she touched so many lives in so many ways," says a GoFundMe campaign set up for her family. Meyer played soccer in the Conejo Valley in high school and also was a kicker for her high school's football team in Newbury Park, the Ventura County Star reports. (If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.)