ASU Hockey Coach on Leave After Player’s Collapse

Arizona State University (ASU) has placed its hockey coach, Greg Powers, on paid administrative leave. This decision follows a serious incident where a player collapsed during a workout and remains hospitalized.

The university announced that assistant coach Mike Corbett will manage the team temporarily. An interim coach will be appointed shortly. The duration of Powers’ leave remains unspecified.

The incident involved 21-year-old sophomore Matthew Mayich from Ontario, Canada. He collapsed on August 20 during a workout described as a “wind-down” exercise with a medicine ball. The temperature during the workout was reported to range between 86 to 89 degrees Fahrenheit.

According to witnesses, Mayich struggled during the run, dropped the medicine ball, and fell. Although he initially tried to resume running, he collapsed again. Coaches and players advised him to stay down while an athletic trainer attempted to cool him with iced towels and cold water. Initially responsive, Mayich’s condition soon worsened.

His parents, John and Christina Mayich, previously urged for all coaches involved in the workout to be put on leave. They expressed dissatisfaction with only Powers being placed on leave and highlighted concerns about potential retaliation.

In a game against the University of Denver Pioneers, Powers was photographed on the bench with his team in February 2025.

A group of seven players has challenged the university’s account. In a letter to the ASU president, they claimed the workout was longer, had insufficient water breaks, and continued despite signs of distress among participants. The anonymous players also mentioned that necessary emergency equipment was unavailable. They reported that Mayich was visibly distressed before collapsing and lacked water breaks.

The workout, conducted by Tim Ziesel, has been described by students as “grueling” and “military-style.” However, Ziesel refuted this characterization, stating through his attorney that the term “military style workout” is misleading. He emphasized that the workout was not more demanding than typical high school sports exercises.

The students alleged in their letter that after collapsing, Mayich was left in the sun for several minutes before receiving appropriate cooling. The equipment available was deemed inadequate, with only a small cooler, some towels, squirt bottles, and a warm garden hose available.

The students demanded that those responsible for the workout be placed on leave until an independent investigation concludes.

Rachel Mitchell, Maricopa County Attorney, stated on social media that the ASU Police Department is conducting an investigation. The county attorney’s office awaits its completion for a thorough review.