Deng Mayar

Deng Mayar, former player for the University of North Dakota men’s basketball team, died in a drowning incident, the school confirmed Sunday, August 17.

At approximately 5:40 p.m. MDT officers from the Herriman Police Department in Herriman, UT responded to a 911 call reporting that two individuals were seen struggling in the water at Blackridge Reservoir. Maynar and a friend, Sa Mafutaga, were swimming in the reservoir when both began to struggle to stay afloat.

Mafutaga was able to make it back to shore, but saw Mayar still struggling in the water. Mafutaga then reentered the reservoir in an attempt to rescue Mayar but was unsuccessful. Mafutaga was transported to the hospital by the United Fire Authority.

Mayar was found at approximately 10:40 p.m. MDT by the Utah Highway Patrol’s submersible 35 yards out from the shore after hours of searching. He was recovered by divers soon after and pronounced dead at the scene.

“Our hearts are broken to hear the tragic news of Deng’s passing,” said UND head men’s basketball coach Paul Sather in a release. “He was a wonderful person with a heart the size of a gym. Our thoughts are with his parents and family, along with all his teammates from UND and UNO. As competitive as he was on the court, he had a gentle nature and kind soul off the court. Deng will be greatly missed by all of those that knew and loved him.”

Mayar was from Salt Lake City, UT and played for the University of North Dakota in their 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. Mayar was set to play for the University of Nebraska at Omaha in the upcoming season.

As a part of the UND men’s basketball team, Mayar appeared in 42 games and averaged 5.7 points per game. He helped to bring the Fighting Hawks to the Summit League Tournament Semifinals in 2024-25.

The Blackridge Reservoir will remain closed by the city of Herriman, UT until further notice.