Kayla Saager-Beckley, a former NCAA women's soccer standout and wife of Tulsa football coach John Beckley, died after collapsing during a workout. She was 30 years old and pregnant with a daughter the couple had named Sawyer.
Tulsa head coach Tre Lamb delivered the news to reporters over the weekend, describing the moments before her death with quiet devastation: "She was working out, 10 minutes later she was found unresponsive."
A program built on her shoulders
Saager-Beckley played collegiately at Binghamton, where she made a lasting mark as a forward. Binghamton head coach Neel Bhattacharjee didn't reach for generalities in his tribute. "Kayla was a dangerous and dynamic forward with a true gift for finding the back of the net," he said. "To this day we stand on her shoulders."
That's the kind of assessment that gets earned, not handed out. Her contributions, by the program's own account, helped lift the competitive standing of Binghamton women's soccer in a meaningful way.
No cause of death has been made public. Her family's statement, however, listed The Bee Foundation — an organisation focused on brain aneurysm awareness, education, and research — as one of two suggested memorial donation recipients alongside St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
A staff in mourning
Lamb made clear the weight this has placed on those around John Beckley. "It's just been a really hard week for him, for us as a staff, our coach's wives," he said. A memorial was held for Kayla, and Tulsa will wear a helmet sticker in her honour at their next game.
The family's statement closed simply: Forever loved. Never forgotten. Always in our hearts.
Donations in memory of Kayla and Sawyer can be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital at stjude.org/give or to The Bee Foundation at thebeefoundation.org/how-to-donate.
