Monmouth Basketball Player Perseveres Through Family Tragedy

Dok Muordar, a 7-foot-1 senior center, has played through immense personal loss while leading his team's push for the conference tournament.

Published on Mar. 3, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Dok Muordar, a senior center on the Monmouth University basketball team, has been dealing with the recent death of his father back home in South Sudan while continuing to play and lead his team. Despite being 6,800 miles from home, Muordar has persevered on the court, including starting on Senior Day, even as he has been grieving and trying to support his large family from afar.

Why it matters

Muordar's story highlights the immense personal challenges that some student-athletes face, having to balance their athletic responsibilities with supporting their families back home, often in regions facing instability and conflict. His perseverance in the face of tragedy is an inspiring example of resilience.

The details

Muordar, a 7-foot-1 center from Rumbek, South Sudan, moved into the starting lineup for Monmouth's Senior Day game on February 28th. Just a week prior, he had received the devastating news that his father had passed away, leaving him grieving and wishing he could be with his family of 29 siblings back home. Muordar has faced significant hardship in his life, including his mother's battle with stomach cancer, the ongoing civil war in South Sudan, and the challenges of adjusting to life in the U.S. as an international student-athlete. Despite these burdens, he has continued to compete and contribute to his team's success.

  • Muordar received the news of his father's passing in a 3 a.m. call from home on the week of February 28th.
  • Muordar started on Senior Day for Monmouth on February 28th.

The players

Dok Muordar

A 7-foot-1 senior center on the Monmouth University basketball team, originally from Rumbek, South Sudan.

King Rice

The head coach of the Monmouth University men's basketball team.

Micah Seaborn

An assistant coach on the Monmouth University men's basketball team.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“This last month has been really tough to me, my family back home, it's tough for my mother. Two years ago, she didn't know she had stomach cancer but I got through it to help her with her medicine. Then she's doing better now. Then my dad just happened to get sick for like three weeks and I was dealing with it.”

— Dok Muordar (app.com)

“It was really tough for me to go through that. I wish I was home so I can be close to my family, but I was far away. I could not do anything. It's just tough for me, man. I wish I was home so I can be with my family.”

— Dok Muordar (app.com)

“He never told any of us. Actually (assistant coach Micah Seaborn) knew, then he told me, but Dok didn't want anybody to know. So he just was eating that.”

— King Rice, Monmouth Head Coach (app.com)

“He's the one in his family who's got a whole bunch of brothers and sisters, he's the one who's got to come here and experience this and play ball, so he was feeling all kinds of ways thinking maybe he should be home and taking care of his family and helping - but he can't go home cause there's not flights and all kinds of stuff. So what he was fighting through, during this time, to come out here and start, and have a really good game.”

— King Rice, Monmouth Head Coach (app.com)

What’s next

Monmouth's administration plans to submit paperwork to try and extend Muordar's eligibility for an additional year, given the hardships he has faced.

The takeaway

Dok Muordar's story is a powerful example of the immense personal challenges that some student-athletes must overcome, balancing their athletic pursuits with supporting their families from thousands of miles away. His perseverance and resilience in the face of tragedy is truly inspiring.