Wife of Tulsa assistant coach dies suddenly

Tulsa head coach Tre Lamb made a shocking announcement at his weekly press conference on Monday: Kyla Saager, the wife of Tulsa outside linebackers coach John Beckley, died suddenly on Wednesday morning of last week. 

Saager, whom Lamb listed as 30 but other outlets listed at 31, married Beckley in June and was pregnant with the couple's first child. 

"We had a tragic death in our football family last Wednesday morning. One of our coaches wives, John Beckley our outside linebackers coach, his wife Kayla passed away suddenly Wednesday morning about 7 a.m. She was working out, 10 minutes later she was found unresponsive," Lamb said Monday. "It's just been a really hard week for him, for us as a staff, our coaches 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."

Saager's death was announced on Thursday, but the news did not reach the football world until Monday. Kayla is survived by not only her husband John, but both parents, Ron and Noranne, and her sisters, Rachel and Veronica. 

Saager was an all-conference soccer player at Binghamton University, who described her as "one of the most feared strikers to don a Binghamton uniform... Known for her gritty play and determination on the field, including overcoming multiple knee injuries, Saager was equally beloved for her compassionate, family-centered focus off the field."

She played professionally overseas before returning stateside to begin a coaching career at Troy, where she earned a master's degree in health and physical education. She had recently moved into college soccer and scouting while moving to Tulsa to be with Beckley, who joined Lamb's staff in 2025. 

"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," Binghamton soccer coach Neel Bhattacharjee said in a statement. "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."

Tulsa played Saturday, winning 23-17 at Sam Houston. The Golden Hurricane is home this Saturday against East Texas A&M.

Needless to say, the FootballScoop staff joins all of those lifting the Saager and Beckely families up in prayer during this time of unimaginable loss.