Arizona State Hockey Players Request Coach's Administrative Leave Following Teammate's Coma After August Workout

A group of seven Arizona State Sun Devils hockey players has formally petitioned the university president, Michael Crow, to place head coach Greg Powers and his coaching staff on administrative leave. This request follows an intensive August workout that resulted in a teammate being placed on life support and in a coma.

The players, who remain anonymous due to concerns about potential retaliation from Coach Powers, submitted a 26-page letter via legal counsel. Their communication to President Crow urges the suspension of both the head coach and assistant coaches.

Their letter challenges the university's preliminary assessment of the August 20 training session during which sophomore Matthew Mayich collapsed. The university's review indicated Mayich suffered from insufficient hydration and received inadequate medical attention after his collapse.

The head coach and his assistant coaches were all on the field on August 20, all remain in their positions, and together they decide our playing time, scholarship levels, and roster status. No one has separated us from them since that morning. We should not have to choose between telling the truth about August 20 and keeping what we have worked our whole lives for.

Disputed Account of Workout Conditions

The anonymous athletes detailed that the "grueling" workout session was led by a former U.S. Army Green Beret. While the university's review stated a water break was provided approximately 20 minutes into the exercise, the players' account differs significantly.

According to the players, the sole water break occurred around 40 minutes into the 75-minute activity and lasted only a few seconds. They further noted that merely eight players managed to drink water, as they were the first to complete a preceding bear crawl drill.

The first of us to finish had a few seconds at the bottles before being ordered back while others, including Matthew, were still crawling. This was the only water break.

The athletes also reported that the former Green Beret acknowledged overlooking the necessity of a water break, reportedly remarking that he did not consume water during combat missions.

Matthew Mayich's Collapse and Aftermath

Regarding Matthew Mayich, the players indicated that he exhibited signs of distress early in the workout. They observed him becoming disoriented during the bear crawl and failing to complete a buddy carry exercise, where he was meant to carry a teammate.

No one at ASU properly monitored him during the workout and no one intervened.

Upon Mayich's collapse, the players allege he remained exposed to direct sunlight for several minutes. This conflicts with Arizona State’s official report, which stated he sat upright twice. The players maintain that his teammates had to carry him into the shade.

For cooling measures, the players described limited resources: only towels from a cooler, water bottles, and a garden hose were accessible. These conditions prevailed in Arizona's August climate, where temperatures routinely reach triple digits.

The players highlighted Mayich's struggle with the local climate, noting that the Ontario native spent most of his leisure time indoors in an air-conditioned apartment due to the extreme heat. They also mentioned that previous outdoor workouts before August 20 typically lasted only about 15 minutes before moving indoors.

Coaching Staff's Response Under Scrutiny

Coach Powers was questioned about the incident earlier this month but declined to comment, citing the "difficult time" the program has been experiencing. However, the players assert that their head coach initially downplayed Mayich’s condition when addressing them, reportedly stating he suffered a "little heat stroke." They also claim he suggested that the team was "closer to making the Frozen Four because of the workout…"

The Frozen Four is the collegiate hockey championship equivalent to college basketball's Final Four.

The players’ letter further stated:

From what we could tell, at no point did Coach Powers seem to appreciate the severity of the situation.

The Sun Devils hockey team is scheduled to commence its 2026–27 season this Friday with a game against Lindenwood.