Kayla Saager-Beckley, former professional soccer player, dies unexpectedly

Former professional soccer player and collegiate standout Kayla Saager-Beckley has died unexpectedly at the age of 30 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Saager-Beckley, who was pregnant with her first child, reportedly collapsed while exercising. According to Tulsa football assistant coach Tre Lamb, she was found unresponsive approximately 10 minutes after she began working out.

No official cause of death has been released. Saager-Beckley was married to Tulsa assistant coach John Beckley; the couple was expecting a daughter named Sawyer.

Saager-Beckley had a distinguished soccer career, most notably at Binghamton University, where she set program records for goals and points per game and was named the 2017 America East Striker of the Year. Following her collegiate success, she played professionally in the Czech Republic. She later transitioned into coaching as an assistant at Troy University and worked in college soccer scouting and recruiting. The University of Tulsa plans to honor her memory with a helmet sticker.