Kayla Saager-Beckley Obituary, Tulsa, OK Death – Former Division 1 Soccer Player Mourned

Kayla Saager-Beckley, a former Division 1 soccer player, coach and college recruiting scout, died on September 9, 2026, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at the age of 33. Her death comes just three months after she married John Beckley in Sayville, New York, on June 4, 2026. Her cause of death has not been publicly disclosed.

Originally from East Islip, New York, Kayla built a career around the sport she loved. She began playing soccer at the age of three and went on to become an all-state player at East Islip High School before competing at the collegiate level.

Her Division 1 career included time at NC State, West Virginia and Binghamton University. At Binghamton, she became a standout player and team captain, earning the 2017 America East Striker of the Year award. She finished that season with 11 goals and seven assists and was ranked among the nation’s top players by Top Drawer Soccer.

After graduating from Binghamton in 2019 with a degree in sociology, Kayla continued playing professionally overseas with FC Slovacko Zeny in the Czech Republic. A career-ending injury eventually brought her playing career to an end, leading her toward coaching and recruiting.

Kayla joined Troy University as a part-time assistant coach in 2020 and was promoted to assistant coach in 2022. Her work included player development, recruiting, travel coordination, game planning and film analysis. She also earned a master’s degree in health and physical education/fitness from Troy University.

More recently, Kayla worked as a college scout with the National Scouting Report, helping student-athletes and their families navigate the college recruiting process.

Her marriage to John marked a new chapter in her life. Their wedding website describes a relationship that began while they were both working in college athletics. The couple later relocated to Tulsa as John continued his career as a Division I football coach.

Kayla’s death has left family, friends, former teammates, athletes and colleagues mourning a life devoted to soccer, coaching and helping young athletes pursue their dreams. Her legacy will continue through the players and families she supported throughout her career.