University of Nebraska Omaha men’s basketball forward Deng Mayar died Saturday evening after drowning in a Utah reservoir. The 22-year-old graduate student had recently transferred to Omaha from Summit League rival North Dakota for the upcoming season.
The incident occurred at Blackridge Reservoir in Herriman, Utah, approximately 20 miles southwest of Salt Lake City. Herriman City Police received 911 calls at 5:40 p.m. local time Saturday reporting two individuals in distress in the water.
Mayar was swimming with friend Sa Mafutaga when both men began struggling in the water about 35 yards from shore. Mafutaga managed to reach safety on his own but reentered the water attempting to rescue Mayar. When Mafutaga also experienced difficulty, bystanders entered the reservoir to assist him. Emergency responders treated Mafutaga at the scene before transporting him to a hospital, where he is expected to recover.
Search and rescue crews conducted an extensive operation to locate Mayar. A Utah Highway Patrol submersible robot found his 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’s family was present during the search and has been notified of his death, according to police.
The 6-foot-7 forward was a Salt Lake City native who had been participating in summer workouts with his new Omaha teammates. After one recent workout, senior guard Tony Osburn called Mayar a strong offensive rebounder. Omaha head coach Chris Crutchfield expressed devastation at the loss, noting that the program had competed against Mayar for two years before bringing him to the team.
Crutchfield said, “Deng was a joy to be around and made our culture better.” The coach indicated that Mayar had made tremendous progress during the summer and would be greatly missed by the entire program. Crutchfield and his wife Jodi extended their prayers to Mayar’s family, friends and teammates.
Mayar played two seasons for the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks before transferring to Omaha. He appeared in 42 games during his time with North Dakota, making 15 starts. As a senior, he averaged 6.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game in 18.1 minutes of playing time. His best statistical season came as a junior when he scored 59 points and ranked fourth on the team in steals.
North Dakota head coach Paul Sather expressed his team’s heartbreak over the news. Sather described Mayar as a wonderful person with a heart the size of a gym, noting that while he was competitive on the court, he possessed a gentle nature and kind soul off the court. The coach indicated that Mayar would be greatly missed by everyone who knew and loved him.
Before his college career, Mayar attended Judge Memorial Catholic High School in Salt Lake City, where he played varsity basketball for four years. His high school team finished fourth at the state tournament during his senior season. He also spent time at Howard Junior College before transferring to North Dakota.
Mayar was one of seven siblings and was studying business administration at the University of Nebraska Omaha. News reports in Salt Lake City initially identified him as Deng Ador, which is his father’s last name, before the university confirmed his identity as Deng Mayar.
Omaha Athletic Director Adrian Dowell stated that the department was devastated to learn of Mayar’s death. On behalf of the university community, Dowell extended love and sincere condolences to Mayar’s family during this difficult time. The athletic director also wished peace to his friends and teammates in Omaha, North Dakota, and Salt Lake City as they process the loss.
The University of North Dakota announced that counseling services would be made available to any students who wanted them this week. Herriman police have requested that anyone who witnessed the incident contact authorities at 801-858-0035. Blackridge Reservoir and all adjacent areas remain closed to patrons until further notice by Herriman City.
In his final game for North Dakota, Mayar recorded 12 points and seven rebounds in a 92-79 victory over South Dakota. The Summit League conference will now mourn the loss of a player who had just begun a new chapter with the Omaha Mavericks program.
