Arizona State University faces growing pressure after 21‑year‑old defenseman Matthew Mayich collapsed during an outdoor hockey workout on August 20. The incident, which resulted in external heat stroke and severe oxygen deprivation to his brain, has left his family fearing he may never recover.
Parents and teammates call for action
John and Christina Mayich, Matthew’s parents, released a statement through family attorney Rob Carey, echoing a letter signed by seven of their son’s teammates. The letter, sent anonymously through an attorney to protect the players from possible retaliation, asks university president Michael Crow to place the coaches who oversaw the workout on administrative leave until an independent investigation is completed.
“We want this team to have a great season and we’ll be cheering for you,” the Mayichs said. “But the coaches who ran that workout on August 20 need to be removed while an independent investigation gets to the truth. The players shouldn’t have to worry about retaliation from the people they report to every day.”
Details of the incident
Mayich, a drafted defenseman of the St. Louis Blues, was participating in the first day of officially sanctioned NCAA activities when he collapsed. Medical personnel determined he suffered external heat stroke, a condition that reduces blood flow and oxygen to the brain. According to attorney Carey, the prognosis is grim, and recovery is unlikely.
Calls for accountability
The players’ letter highlighted discrepancies in an initial internal probe by Arizona State and demanded an interim coaching staff be installed if the current coaches are placed on leave. “Nobody should keep quiet about what they think should happen because they believe that’s what we want. It isn’t,” the Mayichs wrote. “We want the truth, and we want it done in a way that lets the boys focus on hockey instead of wondering whether their coaches think they talked. Mostly, we want accountability for what happened to our son, and we want his teammates to be safe.”
Official response
Arizona State Police have opened an investigation, and a report will be forwarded to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for independent review. Both the Arizona House and Senate education committee chairs have also called for an independent investigation after reviewing the players’ letter.
The university has not yet announced any disciplinary action pending the outcome of the investigations.
Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.
