Arizona State University has put its hockey coach, Greg Powers, on paid administrative leave. This decision follows a player’s collapse during a workout last month, resulting in hospitalization.
Assistant coach Mike Corbett has stepped in temporarily, while the university plans to name an interim coach soon. The duration of Powers’ leave is still unknown.
Incident Details
Matthew Mayich, a 21-year-old student from Ontario, Canada, collapsed on August 20 during a workout. An attorney for the Mayich family stated that Mayich is “unlikely to recover,” as reported by CBS affiliate KPHO-TV.
According to the school’s account of events, Mayich was engaged in a “wind-down” exercise, which included running with a medicine ball outdoors. Temperatures on that day exceeded 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The school noted the workout was conducted when temperatures varied from 86 to 89 degrees.
“When running, Matthew appeared to struggle, and then in rapid succession stumbled, dropped the medicine ball, and fell to the ground,” the report described. “He attempted to get up and resume running but fell to his knees.”
Mayich received immediate aid from an athletic trainer using iced towels and cold water. However, his condition worsened over time. His parents, John and Christina, have expressed dissatisfaction with only Powers being placed on leave, suggesting more actions are required for player safety.
Conflicting Accounts
Seven players disputed the school’s report about the incident in a letter to the university’s president. They claimed the consultant running the workout lacked official approval. They also noted that the workout was more prolonged than reported, lacked adequate water breaks, and continued despite player distress signs.
The players claimed Mayich was denied necessary water breaks prior to collapsing and that essential emergency equipment like cold-water immersion tubs was missing.
The workout, led by Tim Ziesel, whom the school labeled an individual previously engaged with the team about leadership, was criticized by the students as “grueling” and “military-style.” Ziesel responded through his attorney, refuting the term “military style workout,” emphasizing that the focus should be on Mayich’s family.
Calls for Further Action
The anonymous students who raised these concerns also alleged that Mayich was left unattended in the sun post-collapse, with insufficient cooling measures. Their letter advocated for suspending staff pending an independent investigation’s results.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced on social media that the ASU Police Department is conducting a full investigation. Once completed, her office will evaluate the situation thoroughly.
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