Details have emerged about the death of former Binghamton University soccer star Kayla Saager-Beckley, who was pregnant with her first child when she died at age 30 last week.
“She was working out, 10 minutes later she was found unresponsive,” Tulsa University head football coach Tre Lamb said in a press conference on Monday, September 14. (Kayla’s husband, John Beckley, is the team’s outside linebackers coach.)
Lamb, 36, continued, “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 announced Kayla’s death with a news release on Thursday, September 10, saying she passed away the day before. No cause of death has been released.
“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.”
Kayla played two seasons for the Bearcats, scoring 22 total goals and earning America East Striker of the Year honors in her first year. She also led Binghamton to a conference championship in 2017, one year after the team finished in last place.
After college, Kayla continued her playing career in the Czech Republic, before returning stateside to pursue a career in coaching. She was most recently an assistant coach at Troy University in Alabama.
Kayla was living in Tulsa with her husband and working in college soccer scouting and recruiting at the time of her death.
“Beyond the field, she was known for her big heart and her deep love of family,” Bhattacharjee continued. “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.”
In addition to her husband and parents, Kayla is also survived by sisters, Rachel and Veronica.
Binghamton women’s soccer’s most recent game came on Sunday, September 13, when the Bearcats fell, 1-0, to Cornell University at home. After the game, Bhattacharjee said it had “been a heavy week for all of us,” due to Kayla’s death, and again extended his condolences to her family.
