An attorney representing the family of Arizona State hockey player Matthew Mayich says the university is failing to properly investigate the circumstances surrounding the 21-year-old defenseman’s collapse during an outdoor team workout last month.
According to an extensive report in The Arizona Republic, attorney Robert Carey said Mayich has “zero chance of recovery” and that his family lacks confidence in the university’s ability to conduct a complete and impartial investigation.
Carey told The Republic that he had interviewed multiple players who described the approximately 50-minute workout on Aug. 20 as extremely demanding. He alleged that players were subjected to repeated sprints, exercises and conditioning drills without standard breaks, and that the workout leader, retired Green Beret Tim Ziesel, yelled at players and discouraged complaints. Carey also said Mayich showed signs of distress and disorientation before ultimately collapsing.
The workout began on the first day of the fall semester. Tempe Fire Medical Rescue crews responded to ASU’s Joe Selleh Track at approximately 8:30 a.m. for a reported heat-related illness. Temperatures were between 87 and 89 degrees, according to The Republic. Mayich was transported to local hospitals before eventually being transferred to Phoenix’s Barrow Neurological Institute, where he remains hospitalized with his family.
Carey has called for members of ASU’s coaching staff to be suspended or placed on administrative leave, arguing that players could fear retaliation if they discuss the workout. ASU officials have declined to respond specifically to Carey’s allegations but have said the university is reviewing everything surrounding the workout, according to the report.
Ziesel’s attorney, Buddy Rake, disputes Carey’s characterization of the session. Rake told The Republic that the workout was a mid-level conditioning routine comparable to exercises used by high school football teams, not an extreme military-style workout. Rake said coaches, assistant coaches and medical personnel were present throughout the session and emphasized that Ziesel left before Mayich collapsed, The Republic reported
Mayich, a sophomore from Stoney Creek, Ontario, was entering his first season at ASU after transferring from Clarkson. He recorded seven goals and eight assists in 34 games as a freshman and had previously spent four seasons with the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League. The St. Louis Blues selected him in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Draft.
The Republic reported that ASU continues to review the circumstances surrounding the incident. Carey said his firm intends to pursue the disclosure of communications and other records related to Mayich’s collapse.
This report is based entirely on reporting by Robert Anglen of The Arizona Republic, which originally published the report.