Tulsa head football coach Tre Lamb revealed plans to honor the wife of one of the team’s assistant coaches, a former standout Division I soccer player and a native Long Islander following her untimely death last week.
Kayla Saager-Beckley, a former star player for Binghamton University who recently wed Tulane outside linebackers coach John Beckley, died last Wednesday unexpectedly at the age of 30.
Saager-Beckley was pregnant at the time of her death, which happened around 7 a.m., according to Lamb.
“She was working out, 10 minutes later she was found unresponsive,” Lamb said during a press conference Monday.
“It’s just been a really hard week for him, for us as a staff, our coach’s wives. She was 30 years old. She was pregnant with their daughter, Sawyer. It’s been tough on our staff. We had a memorial for her last night. We just ask that you please pray for the Saager family, the Beckley family. We’re going to honor her with a helmet sticker this week at our game, and she’s definitely in our thoughts and prayers.”
Binghamton University announced Saager-Beckley’s death last Thursday in a news release, though no cause of death had been listed.
Saager-Beckley, who hailed from East Islip, scored 22 goals over two seasons at Binghamton, which described her as “one of the most feared strikers” to put on a Bearcats jersey.
She served as team captain during her time at the upstate New York university, from which she graduated in 2019 after being named a two-time all-region player and 2017 America East Striker of the Year.
“Binghamton women’s soccer is profoundly saddened by the passing of Kayla Saager-Beckley,” head coach Neel Bhattacharjee said in a statement. “Kayla was a dangerous and dynamic forward with a true gift for finding the back of the net, and her contributions helped elevate the competitiveness and stature of our program. To this day we stand on her shoulders. Beyond the field, she was known for her big heart and her deep love of family. We are devastated by this loss and send our heartfelt sympathy and support to her parents Ron and Noranne and her husband John. Kayla, you are forever and always a Bearcat. May you rest in peace.”
She played professional soccer overseas in the Czech Republic before spending four years at Troy University in Alabama as an assistant coach.
Saager-Beckley recently entered college soccer scouting and recruiting.
She moved to Tulsa with Beckley, who joined Tulsa’s coaching staff in 2025.
Tulsa defeated Sam Houston over the weekend to improve to 2-0.
