TEMPE— 41 days ago, Arizona State defenseman Matthew Mayich collapsed during an outdoor workout. On Wednesday, ASU head coach Greg Powers was placed on administrative leave, according to a statement from Arizona State University.

 

Mayich, an Ontario native and St. Louis Blues draftee, has been in a coma ever since his August 20 collapse. The family’s lawyer, Robert Carey, called Mayich’s recovery “unlikely.”

 

“This injury is from exertional heat stroke that caused a lack of oxygen to the brain,” Carey told ESPN. “There were no other contributing conditions, only exertion-related heat. This is not an induced coma. We need a miracle.”

 

 

The events of August 20, from the players’ perspective

 

 

Seven Sun Devil hockey players wrote a letter sent to ASU President Michael Crow, stating that there were numerous inconsistencies in the initial report done by senior vice president James Rund.

 

The workout began at approximately 7:00 a.m., and from the start was, according to the players, nothing like they had done in days prior.

 

Tim Ziesel, a former Green Beret, ran the workout, with 35-40 straight minutes of sprints, push-ups, planks, and flutter kicks. There were extra drills for failing the workouts, miscounting, or responding too slowly.

 

Two players reportedly vomited prior to any players having access to water. Following bear crawls, a very brief water break was granted, which “maybe eight” players got for a “few seconds.” Mayich was not one of the players who was able to get a drink of water.

 

Teammates described Mayich as appearing “disoriented” during drills after the initial 35-40 minutes and bear crawls. He reportedly had to lean on another player to even stay upright.

 

Ziesel, shortly before leaving the practice, then assigned medicine-ball relays. Teammates recounted that Mayich “dropped his ball, missed it twice trying to pick it up, continued, stumbled, fell, got up, and fell again.”

 

 

After the collapse

 

 

An assistant coach saw this and directed teammates, who had no training on heat stroke, to check on Mayich. Powerade towels that had been sitting in a cooler, untouched throughout practice, and a squirt bottle served as the only cooling devices accessible.

 

Mayich’s teammates then had to use a garden hose to try to cool him once he was carried to a shaded area. Paramedics picked up Mayich shortly after.

 

The full letter, linked here, goes into detail on what other heat precautions were not taken by ASU. Those include the lack of an immersion tub and that, according to ASU’s heat policy, Mayich had not been acclimated and therefore should not have been doing the full workout.

 

 

Rund’s report versus the player’s letter

 

 

The number of opportunities for water allowed and when it was allowed created one of the more glaring differences.

 

The Rund report states that Powers directed a water break approximately 20 minutes into the activity. The report also states that observers saw players drinking water at other times during the workout.

 

In the players’ letter, it stated that the water break that Powers directed occurred 35-40 minutes into the workout, and that it was the only break of the workout.

 

Additionally, the Rund report only mentions Mayich struggling during the final activity, as players report he had been struggling for around 15 to 20 minutes beforehand. The Rund report states the athletic trainer and players told Mayich to remain on the ground. Players, on the other hand, report the athletic trainer had Mayich sit up on multiple occasions.

 

The Rund report also does not state who approved Ziesel to run the workout. The report, however, does confirm that the workout run by Ziesel was not submitted to be reviewed by ASU’s strength and conditioning coaches.

 

 

The days and weeks following Mayich’s collapse

 

 

According to the player’s letter, Powers told the team that Mayich would be fine and “just needed an IV”. Players also reported being told to leave the hospital to not “draw a lot of attention” to the situation.

 

Powers also told players that Mayich would be “fine”. Players said in the letter that they felt Powers never appreciated the severity
of the situation.

 

The Arizona State University Police Department opened an investigation, which Carey wrote would be objected to as the “university investigating itself”. The Mayich family is calling for an independent investigation with either Phoenix police, DPS, or the attorney general.

 

The Mayich family got their wish on September 29, when Maricopa County said it would investigate after ASUPD is done with its own investigation. The team practiced without coaches present that same day.

 

Powers was placed on administrative leave on September 30, just three days before ASU’s season begins. Assistant coach Mike Corbett will lead the team until the school names an interim head coach.

 

“Our focus continues to be on Matthew and his family, and on our student-athletes to make sure they have the support they need during this time and as the season begins,” ASU Athletic Director Graham Rossini said in the statement regarding Powers being placed on leave. “We have continued to collect as much information as possible. After thorough and careful deliberation, I believe this is the best move to provide stability for the hockey program.”