Seven Arizona State men’s hockey players have asked university president Michael Crow to place coach Greg Powers and his staff on administrative leave while the school investigates the Aug. 20 workout that left sophomore transfer Matthew Mayich on life support, according to a report by The Athletic.
In a 26-page letter, the players challenged numerous findings in Arizona State’s initial review, saying Mayich showed signs of distress well before the final exercise, received almost no water during the roughly 75-minute workout and did not receive appropriate medical care after collapsing, the report said.
Mayich, a 21-year-old sophomore defenseman who transferred from Clarkson this offseason, collapsed Aug. 20 near the conclusion of the workout.
The players allege Mayich was left in direct sunlight, was twice placed upright and was cooled only with towels, squirt bottles and a garden hose. They said no ice immersion tub was available and that no staff member took Mayich’s temperature, the report said.
The players also disputed the university’s account of when water breaks occurred and how Mayich had been acclimated to Arizona’s heat, according to the report. They questioned the qualifications and oversight of Tim Ziesel, the former Green Beret who conducted the workout.
The players said they fear retaliation because Powers and his staff control playing time, scholarships and roster status. They are also asking ASU to refer its police investigation to an outside agency and guarantee that players who speak out will not face punishment, according to the report.
Mayich, 21, suffered an exertional heat stroke that caused a lack of oxygen to his brain. His family’s attorney says he has no chance of a meaningful recovery.