Tragic Loss of Utah Native Deng Mayar, Promising Basketball Player

Utah Native and Omaha Forward Deng Mayar, 22, Passes Away in Drowning Accident, Leaving Behind Parents Alei and Abele and Six Siblings

The late Deng Mayar graduated from University of North Dakota in May, 2026 with a Bachelor's degree in major communication.

August 18, 2026

This article was last updated by Alisha Shrestha on August 18, 2026

Deng Mayar, a student-athlete at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, passed away on Saturday, August 16, 2026, in a tragic drowning accident at the untimely age of 22, leaving his family, friends, and loved ones devastated.

According , Deng Mayar, a Salt Lake, Utah native, was at the Blackridge Reservoir in Harriman, Utah, with a friend when he began struggling in the water and eventually drowned.

His friend initially made it to shore but went back in to try to help Mayar. Despite the effort, Mayar went under and did not resurface.

Rescue crews later recovered his body on Saturday night, while his friend was taken to the hospital and is expected to recover soon.

Deng Mayar’s untimely passing was announced by his sister, Angelina Mayar, on her Facebook.

The post reads:

“My brother, Deng Mayar, tragically passed away last night at 11 pm due to drowning. We ask that his friends, teammates, coach staff, college basketball organizations and loved ones remain strong with us during this difficult time and show respect for our family as we grieve.”

Furthermore, many of Deng Mayar’s friends and loved ones are paying tribute to the late basketball star and extending their heartfelt condolences to his family during this difficult time.

Mayar, who joined the Omaha men’s basketball team this offseason after excelling at the University of North Dakota, was set to play for the University of Nebraska at Omaha in the upcoming season as a graduate transfer.

University of Nebraska at Omaha Chancellor Joane Li and Director of Athletics Adrian Dowell expressed their sorrow and wrote:

“We are devastated to learn of Deng’s passing. On behalf of our university community, our love and sincere condolences are with his family during this difficult time. We also wish his friends and teammates in Omaha, North Dakota, and Salt Lake City family, peace as they process this tragic loss.”

Similarly, Omaha men’s basketball head coach, Ohris Crutchfield, added:

“Our entire program is devastated to learn of Deng’s passing. After competing against him for two years, we were elated to add him to our team and he made tremendous progress this summer. Deng was a joy to be around and made our culture better. We will miss him greatly. Jodi and I, along with our entire program, send our hearts and prayers to Deng’s family, friends and teammates.”

In addition to his sister, Angelina Mayar, Deng Mayar is survived by his mother, Abele Daw, father, Alei Ador, sisters, Christina, Achan ‘Achani’, Achol, and Nyanbol “Tayda”, brother, Ngor, and the whole family.

The Late Deng Mayar Started His Basketball Journey at Judge Memorial Catholic High School

Born in 2002 in Magna, Salt Lake City, Utah, the late began his basketball journey from a very young age and won the hearts of many with his remarkable performance.

Deng Mayar, a Class 3A, Region 13 standout, began his basketball journey at Judge Memorial Catholic High School, where he played as a guard/forward and graduated in 2026.

A four-year varsity student-athlete, Mayar finished his high school career with 689 points, 315 rebounds, 53 assists, and 55 steals.

As a senior, he averaged 17.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, helping Judge Memorial Catholic secure the regional championship and finish fourth in the Utah state tournament.

Similarly, he continued his basketball career at Howard Junior College, where he started in all 30 games, averaging nearly 11.5 points per game in 2026-23.

Mayar also attended Western Texas and Coffeyville junior colleges before joining the University of North Dakota, where he played for the 2026-2026 and 2026-2026 seasons for the Fighting Hawks, appearing in 42 games, including 29 games in his senior year.

While the untimely demise of Deng Mayar has left his loved ones devastated, his outstanding contribution to the sports community and his kind nature will always be remembered.

Details regarding funeral services and memorials will be shared once the family has finalized arrangements.

In Case You Didn’t Know

The late Deng Mayar was studying business administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
His mother, Abele Daw, worked at Home2 Suites by Hilton

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Suruchi is a business management student with a strong passion for writing, particularly when it comes to sports. She loves creating articles and blogs that explore various aspects of the sports world. With a curious mind and a love for both academics and creativity, she constantly seeks to expand her knowledge and share her insights through her writing.

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