Meredith Basil

Dr. Meredith Basil serves as the Associate Dean of Academic Advising, providing comprehensive strategic leadership and organizational oversight for the DASH team (Academic Advising and Student-Athlete Success and Well-Being).

A former Division I diver and head coach, Basil's career is defined by a commitment to the intersection of elite athletic performance and holistic student-athlete success. In her dual capacity, Basil serves as a key executive liaison between VPUE and DAPER, ensuring student-athletes have a comprehensive ecosystem of support as they excel in their coursework and compete for Stanford.

Basil leads a multi-disciplinary DASH unit comprised of the Assistant Athletics Director/Assistant Dean for Student-Athlete Success and Well-Being, the Lead Undergraduate Advising Director for Academic Initiatives and Campus Partnerships, the Lead Undergraduate Advising Director for Academic Operations, three Undergraduate Advising Directors for Student-Athletes, the Student-Athlete Success Coach, the Student-Athlete Program Associate, the Director of Student-Athlete Success and Well-Being, and the Career Preparedness and Alumni Mentorship Coach.

Previously, Basil served as the sport administrator for softball, men's swimming and diving, and women's swimming and diving. In addition, she represents VPUE and DAPER on the Committee on Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation (CAPER), the Exceptions Review Board (ERB), the Academic Progress Review Board (APRB), and serves as a liaison to the Committee on Undergraduate Standards and Policy (C-USP), and the Committee on Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid (C-UAFA).

Under Basil's leadership, the DASH team delivers comprehensive programming supporting student-athletes from recruitment through graduation and beyond. Partnering with Approaching Stanford (NSO), the portfolio includes transition programming for mid-year and off-cycle transfers, proactive academic advising, academic success coaching via Cardinal Support programming, NCAA certification, and the foundational course, UAR-56: Designing Your Student-Athlete Experience. Additionally, Basil's team drives leadership and identity development through SAAC, C-House, and community engagement groups, while spearheading career readiness alumni mentorship programming as well as NCAA Division I Transformation Committee Education Programming in critical areas such as financial wellness and sexual violence prevention.

Beyond core programming, the team coordinates special events including the Welcome Back BBQ, New Student-Athlete Family Welcome, GameFACES, the Final Pregame Meal, and the Student-Athlete Graduate Reception. DASH also maintains vital campus community partnerships with the Dean of Students Office, Office of Accessible Education, the Haas Center for Public Service, Bing Overseas Studies Program, Residential Education, the Centers for Equity Community and Leadership, and numerous academic units. Additionally, DASH coordinates the Faculty Athletic Fellows Program with the goal of advancing relationships among faculty, student-athletes, and coaches, building faculty awareness of athletics considerations and the student-athlete experience, and providing student-athletes with additional support and mentoring.

Basil's strategic approach to student-athlete success is deeply informed by her background as a psychologist and educator. Basil bridges administrative leadership with classroom engagement, teaching courses in Sport Psychology at Menlo College, as well as the Cognitive and Biological Basis of Behavior, Psychopharmacology, and Substance Use and Addiction at Palo Alto University. Her research and scholarship focused on models of athletic intelligence, investigating how experiential variables and biological factors—including prenatal hormone markers—influence individual differences in spatial ability and elite performance. Her diverse research background also spans NIDA-funded addiction projects and behavioral toxicology for the EPA.

Prior to arriving on The Farm, Basil built an extensive administrative background in Division I athletics leadership at Cal State Fullerton. Basil served as Associate Director of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrator, where her foundational leadership included overseeing internal operations, sport supervision, sport performance, and academics alongside interim roles as Associate Vice President for Student Affairs (Retention and Engagement) and service on the Faculty Senate. Basil holds a Ph.D. in Psychology with a specialization in Behavior, Cognition & Neuroscience, as well as an M.A. and a B.A. in Psychology, all from American University in Washington, DC.

updated Aug. 28, 2026