Deng Mayar, a 22-year-old University of Nebraska Omaha basketball player, drowned Saturday evening while swimming at Blackridge Reservoir in Herriman, Utah. The incident occurred around 5:40 p.m. local time when Mayar and his friend Sa Mafutaga, 21, began struggling in the water approximately 35 yards from shore.
Mafutaga managed to reach the shore but reentered the water in an attempt to rescue Mayar, according to the Herriman Police Department. Bystanders at the reservoir entered the water to assist Mafutaga, who was treated at the scene and transported to a hospital where he is expected to recover. However, Mayar went underwater and did not resurface.
Emergency crews from Unified Fire, South Jordan Fire and the Utah Highway Patrol dive team conducted an extensive search operation. After hours of searching, a submersible robot located Mayar’s body at 10:40 p.m., and divers recovered him from the water at 11:00 p.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Mayar was a 6-foot-8 forward who had recently transferred to the University of Nebraska Omaha after spending two seasons at the University of North Dakota. He was preparing to play his final season of eligibility with the Mavericks, having made the move following the conclusion of his time with the Fighting Hawks.
During his two seasons at North Dakota, Mayar appeared in 42 games and made 15 starts. He averaged 6.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game in his final season with the Fighting Hawks, totaling 59 points as a junior. In his final collegiate game, he recorded 12 points and seven rebounds in a 92-79 victory over South Dakota.
Mayar was a native of Salt Lake City and attended Judge Memorial Catholic High School, where he played varsity basketball for all four years. As a senior at Judge Memorial, he averaged 17.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, leading his team to a regional championship and a fourth-place finish in the Utah state tournament.
Before his collegiate career, Mayar played at Howard Junior College. He was one of seven siblings and was studying business administration at the University of Nebraska Omaha. According to his athletic department profile, his 23rd birthday would have been on August 31, just weeks away from the tragic incident.
The University of Nebraska Omaha mourned what they called the tragic loss of Mayar in an official statement. Chancellor Joanne Li expressed the university community’s devastation and extended condolences to his family, friends, and teammates in Omaha, North Dakota, and Salt Lake City.
Following the announcement of Mayar’s death, his sister Angelina created a GoFundMe page titled “In Loving Memory of Deng: Help Us Lay Him to Rest.” The fundraising page described Mayar as an extraordinary son, brother, friend, classmate, and teammate who was goal-oriented, determined, and disciplined.
The fundraising description emphasized that basketball was not only Mayar’s passion but also a reflection of his character, noting that the commitment, teamwork, and care he displayed on the court mirrored how he treated his family, friends, and everyone he encountered. The tribute stated that to know Mayar was to love him, and crossing paths with him was considered a blessing.
The incident occurred in Herriman, a suburb located approximately 20 miles southwest of Salt Lake City.