Arizona Lawmakers Demand Independent Investigation into ASU Hockey Workout Incident

Arizona lawmakers are demanding an independent investigation into a demanding team workout that left Arizona State University hockey player Matthew Mayich in a coma and on life support. House Education Committee Chairman Matt Gress and Senate Education Committee Chairman Hildy Angius have called on the Arizona Board of Regents to retain an independent investigator to examine the Aug. 20 incident.

In a letter sent to Board Chairman Doug Goodyear, Gress and Angius cited unanswered questions regarding the school's adherence to its own policies and allegations from anonymous players who fear retaliation. An initial review by Arizona State acknowledged that the hockey team's staff did not submit a training plan and that Mayich did not receive proper hydration or adequate medical care after collapsing.

"Seven players who were on that field have raised serious questions that ASU’s own review does not answer," Gress stated in a press release. "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."

The lawmakers are also seeking to determine who authorized the workout, which players said was led by an ex-U.S. Army Green Beret. They question whether required vetting and heat-safety procedures were followed, why ASU’s strength and conditioning professionals did not review the workout, and why the final exercise proceeded after the outside consultant departed.

"Student-athletes should never have to choose between telling the truth and protecting their scholarship, roster spot, or playing time," Angius said. "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."

According to a 26-page letter from the players, the workout was grueling, and the reported water break occurred approximately 40 minutes into the 75-minute activity, lasting only a few seconds. The players claimed only about eight players drank water, as they were the first to finish a 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," the players' letter stated. "This was the only water break." The players also alleged that the ex-Green Beret admitted forgetting about the need for a water break and stated he did not drink water during combat missions.

Mayich, a draft pick of the NHL's St. Louis Blues, reportedly showed signs of distress early in the workout, becoming disoriented during the bear crawl and unable to carry a teammate during a buddy carry exercise. "No one at ASU properly monitored him during the workout and no one intervened," the letter read.

When Mayich collapsed, the players claim he remained in direct sunlight for several minutes before being carried into the shade by teammates, contradicting Arizona State’s report that he sat upright twice. The only cooling measures available were towels from a cooler, water from the bottles, and a garden hose, despite August temperatures in Arizona regularly exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

The players noted that Mayich, who is from Ontario, Canada, typically spent his off-time in his air-conditioned apartment due to the oppressive heat. Prior to Aug. 20, outdoor workouts lasted approximately 15 minutes before moving indoors.

The players' letter also stated that head coach Greg Powers downplayed Mayich’s condition when initially informing the team, describing it as "little heat stroke" and suggesting the workout was beneficial for the team's progress toward the Frozen Four. "From what we could tell, at no point did Coach Powers seem to appreciate the severity of the situation," the players wrote. The Board of Regents was asked to respond to the lawmakers' requests by Oct. 9.