The college football community is mourning the heartbreaking loss of Kayla Saager-Beckley, a former standout Division I soccer player who died unexpectedly last week at just 30 years old.

Saager-Beckley, a Long Island native and former Binghamton University soccer star, was married to Tulane outside linebackers coach John Beckley. The couple had been expecting their first child, a daughter they planned to name Sawyer.

Tulsa head football coach Tre Lamb shared the devastating news during a press conference Monday, revealing that Saager-Beckley was pregnant when she died.

According to Lamb, Saager-Beckley had been working out that morning and was later found unresponsive. Her death was announced by Binghamton University on Sept. 10, but officials did not publicly disclose a cause of death.

“She was 30 years old. She was pregnant with their daughter, Sawyer,” Lamb said while speaking about the impact of the loss on the coaching staff and their families.

The Tulsa football program is now preparing to honor Saager-Beckley during its upcoming game with a special helmet sticker. The coaching staff and their families also held a memorial gathering in her memory.

Saager-Beckley, who grew up in East Islip, New York, made a lasting impact at Binghamton. During two seasons with the Bearcats, she scored 22 goals and became known as one of the program’s most dangerous attacking players.

She served as a team captain and graduated in 2019 after earning two All-Region selections and being named the 2017 America East Striker of the Year.

Binghamton women’s soccer head coach Neel Bhattacharjee remembered her not only for her talent on the field, but also for the warmth she showed away from the game.

“Beyond the field, she was known for her big heart and her deep love of family,” Bhattacharjee said.

After her college playing career, Saager-Beckley continued pursuing her passion for soccer. She played professionally overseas in the Czech Republic before spending four years at Troy University in Alabama as an assistant coach.

More recently, she had moved into college soccer scouting and recruiting.

She later relocated to Tulsa with her husband after Beckley joined the Tulsa football coaching staff in 2025.

Her sudden passing has left former teammates, coaches, friends and members of the college sports community grieving a woman remembered for both her athletic achievements and her devotion to family.

For the Tulsa football program, this week’s game will carry a deeply personal meaning as the team takes the field with Saager-Beckley in their thoughts.

Binghamton’s soccer community offered a final tribute to its former captain:

“Kayla, you are forever and always a Bearcat.”

🕊️ A beloved athlete, coach and soon-to-be mother, remembered by the many people whose lives she touched.