By Staff Reporter |
Legislative leaders are petitioning the Arizona Board of Regents for an independent investigation into Arizona State University (ASU) over the near-fatal hockey team workout that occurred last month.
State Rep. Matt Gress (R-LD4) and State Sen. Hildy Angius (R-LD30), respective chairs of the Arizona House and Senate education committees, issued a joint statement urging an outside review after ASU hockey players were subjected to a workout last month that caused one player, 21-year-old Matthew Mayich, to collapse from heat stroke.
Mayich was hospitalized and remains in a coma on life support. It is unclear whether he will recover.
The lawmakers issued their statement following a 26-page letter sent to ASU President Michael Crow from seven members of the hockey team on Monday that heavily disputed ASU’s own initial findings.
The letter disputed key facts regarding ASU coaching staff adherence to heat acclimatization protocol and workout approval policy, the nature of the near-fatal workout, availability and application of heat stroke preventative equipment and water breaks, and the timeline and treatment of Mayich’s deteriorating condition.
Gress said that an outside investigation would be the only way to determine the truth behind this incident.
“Seven players who were on that field have raised serious questions that ASU’s own review does not answer,” said Gress. “We need an independent investigation to determine whether ASU followed its own rules, who was responsible for protecting these athletes, and what happened when Matthew Mayich showed signs of distress. ASU should not be left to investigate its own conduct and decide whether anyone should be held accountable.”
Angius also encouraged the board to secure an outside investigator in order to assure protection to the players behind the letter, who submitted it anonymously through counsel out of fear of retaliation.
“Student-athletes should never have to choose between telling the truth and protecting their scholarship, roster spot, or playing time,” said Angius. “If players fear retaliation for speaking about what happened to a teammate, the Regents need to act. They should protect these students and appoint an investigator who answers to the Board, not ASU.”
The players’ letter alleged that the workout instructor and the workout plan for that day weren’t approved; the session lasted more than 75 minutes, not 45 minutes per the ASU report; Mayich and other players weren’t acclimatized to the heat and received no water during the workout; Mayich and other players were made to continue the workout despite showing signs of physical distress; emergency equipment to treat heat stroke wasn’t on the field; and staff improperly treated Mayich’s heat stroke.
The report further alleged that an assistant coach observed Mayich exhibiting signs of disorientation about an hour into the workout, but took photos and videos instead of intervening. About a half hour later, an assistant coach observed Mayich exhibiting signs of disorientation and directed players instead of trained staff to assist Mayich. Mayich was allegedly sat up instead of laid down to rest, squirted with water rather than immersed, and kept in the sun rather than removed to a shaded area.
The report alleged that some, but not all players, were only given one water break for less than a minute throughout the whole workout. Mayich allegedly didn’t receive any water.
On Tuesday, Mayich’s parents issued a statement calling for the removal of coaches who ran the workout that hospitalized their son pending an independent investigation. Greg Powers, the team’s head coach, and his assistant coaches were on the field that day.
Powers had selected the workout instructor: an Army special forces veteran named Tim Ziesel reported to suffer from serious and lasting issues with decision-making and emotional regulation, among other problems, incurred from a 2023 motorcycle crash.
“The players shouldn’t have to worry about retaliation from the people they report to every day. And there are plenty of former college and pro players in the Valley who could step in and help,” stated the Mayiches. “Mostly, we want accountability for what happened to our son, and we want his teammates to be safe.”
Mayich, a native of Ontario, Canada, was a recent transfer to ASU; this season would have been his first with the Sun Devils. Mayich was previously drafted to the National Hockey League in 2023, but didn’t sign a contract.
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