A young man's life hangs in the balance after a summer workout at Arizona State University, and with it, questions that universities have long struggled to answer honestly: who is responsible when institutional ambition meets human fragility? Matthew Mayich, a 21-year-old hockey player from Ontario, collapsed on August 20 during an outdoor session in extreme heat and remains on life support, unlikely to recover. His story has drawn a coach's suspension, a criminal investigation, and the quiet courage of seven teammates who chose accountability over silence.
ASU hockey coach placed on leave after player's workout collapse
Matthew Mayich, 21, collapsed during workout and remains hospitalized on life support with unlikely prognosis for recovery.
There's no protection whatsoever against retaliation.
Mark
Why did the school place only Powers on leave if multiple people ran the workout?
Mimi
The school hasn't explained that decision publicly. What we know is that Powers was the head coach, so he bears institutional responsibility. But the players' letter names Tim Ziesel as the person who actually ran the workout, and they're saying he should be held accountable too.
Luke
Right, and we should be careful here—the school says Ziesel was just someone who came to speak about leadership. The players say he ran the workout. Those are different claims, and we don't yet know what the investigation will confirm about who was actually in charge.
Mark
The players are anonymous. Why would they risk sending a letter if they're so afraid?
Mimi
Because they felt the official story was wrong and no one was listening. But they're still protecting themselves by staying anonymous, which tells you something about how unsafe they feel in that environment.
Luke
It also means we can't independently verify what they're saying. We have their account versus the school's account. Both matter, but neither is proven yet.
Mark
What does "unlikely to recover" actually mean for Matthew?
Mimi
His family's attorney said it. It suggests permanent, severe disability or that recovery is not medically expected. But the family hasn't released detailed medical information, so we're working with limited facts about his actual condition.
Luke
Exactly. We know he's on life support and that his attorney used that phrase. We don't know the specific diagnosis, the prognosis timeline, or what his family is hoping for beyond what's been stated. That's important to hold.
Mark
Is there any chance the workout itself was actually fine and something else caused the collapse?
Mimi
The school's own account describes a player struggling, stumbling, and collapsing in sequence. The question isn't whether something went wrong—it's whether the conditions and protocols made it more likely to go wrong.
Luke
And we don't have independent medical analysis yet. Heat illness, dehydration, an underlying condition—we don't know the cause. The investigation might clarify that. Right now we have competing narratives about the workout's severity and safety measures, but not a clear medical picture.
O Pulso
- Matthew Mayich, 21, collapsed during a heat-intensive outdoor workout and remains on life support with little hope of recovery, according to his family's attorney.
- Seven anonymous players allege the session was grueling and militaristic, lacked adequate water breaks and cooling equipment, and continued even as players showed visible signs of distress.
- The university's official account — describing a mild 'wind-down' exercise with proper response — directly contradicts the players' letter, and the National Weather Service recorded temperatures above 100°F that day, not the 86-89°F range ASU cited.
- Coach Greg Powers has been placed on paid leave, but Mayich's parents argue the move is cosmetic so long as his longtime associate remains in charge of the locker room.
- Players fear retaliation and their attorney says ASU appears to be 'circling the wagons,' while the Maricopa County Attorney's office has announced a formal criminal investigation.
A young man's life hangs in the balance after a summer workout at Arizona State University, and with it, questions that universities have long struggled to answer honestly: who is responsible when institutional ambition meets human fragility? Matthew Mayich, a 21-year-old hockey player from Ontario, collapsed on August 20 during an outdoor session in extreme heat and remains on life support, unlikely to recover. His story has drawn a coach's suspension, a criminal investigation, and the quiet courage of seven teammates who chose accountability over silence.
Matthew Mayich was a 21-year-old sophomore from Ontario, Canada, when he collapsed during an August 20 workout at Arizona State University. He remains hospitalized on life support, and his family's attorney has said recovery is unlikely.
The workout took place at an outdoor ASU facility. The school described it as a 'wind-down' exercise involving running with a medicine ball, conducted in 86 to 89 degree heat — though the National Weather Service recorded a high above 100 degrees that day. Mayich struggled visibly, stumbled, dropped the ball, and collapsed. He tried to rise but fell to his knees. Coaches and players told him to stay down. An athletic trainer applied iced towels and cold water, but his condition deteriorated.
ASU placed hockey coach Greg Powers on paid administrative leave. Powers issued a statement expressing support for the review and concern for Mayich and his family. But Mayich's parents, John and Christina, called the action inadequate — arguing that leaving Powers' longtime associate in charge of the locker room failed to address the deeper problem. They called for broader accountability and protections for players willing to speak out.
Seven players, fearing retaliation, sent an anonymous letter to ASU's president disputing the school's account. They described the session as a 'grueling,' 'military-style' workout run by Tim Ziesel — a figure the school characterized as a leadership speaker, but whom the players said was not approved under school policy. They alleged the workout ran longer than reported, water breaks were inadequate, and the session continued even as players showed signs of distress. Mayich, they said, received no water breaks and was already struggling before the final exercise.
The players also described a troubling absence of safety equipment: a single small cooler with a few Powerade towels, squirt bottles that produced a stream rather than a spray, and eventually a garden hose running warm water. They said Mayich lay in the sun for several minutes after collapsing. Ziesel, through his attorney, denied the military-style characterization and called the workout standard by high school varsity measures.
The players' attorney told CBS News that ASU appeared to be 'circling the wagons' rather than pursuing a genuine investigation, and that his clients had no safe path to speaking publicly without protection from retaliation. The Maricopa County Attorney's office has since announced that ASU Police are investigating, with a formal review to follow. The case now rests at the crossroads of a university inquiry, a criminal investigation, and an unanswered question: whether institutional interests or the truth will prevail.
Matthew Mayich was 21 years old, a sophomore hockey player from Ontario, Canada, when he collapsed during a workout at Arizona State University on August 20. He remains hospitalized on life support. His family's attorney has said he is unlikely to recover.
The workout took place at one of ASU's outdoor facilities during what the school described as a "wind-down" exercise involving running with a medicine ball. According to the school's account, the temperature at the time ranged from 86 to 89 degrees Fahrenheit, though the National Weather Service recorded a high above 100 degrees that day. As Mayich ran, he appeared to struggle, then stumbled and dropped the ball. He fell to the ground, tried to get up and continue, but collapsed to his knees. Players and coaches told him to stay down. An athletic trainer applied iced towels and cold water to cool him. The school said Mayich was initially responsive, but his condition deteriorated.
In response to the collapse, Arizona State placed hockey coach Greg Powers on paid administrative leave. Assistant coach Mike Corbett assumed his duties temporarily, with an interim coach to be named. Powers said in a statement that he supported the decision and would cooperate fully with any review. "Matthew and his family remain foremost in my thoughts and prayers," he wrote. "What happened to Matthew has deeply affected everyone in our program."
But Mayich's parents, John and Christina, said the action was insufficient. In a statement, they argued that placing only Powers on leave while keeping his longtime associate in charge of the locker room failed to address the underlying problem. They called for broader accountability and said any interim coach should have authority to place on leave anyone who might retaliate against players willing to speak about what happened.
Seven players, choosing to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation, sent a letter to ASU's president disputing the school's version of events. They alleged that the workout was run by Tim Ziesel, described by the school as someone who had spoken to the team about leadership and teamwork, but characterized by the players as conducting a "grueling" and "military-style" exercise. The players said Ziesel was not approved according to school policy, the workout lasted longer than the school claimed, water breaks were insufficient, and the session continued even after some players showed signs of distress. Mayich in particular, they said, received no water breaks and had displayed signs of distress before the final exercise where he collapsed.
The players also alleged that critical safety equipment was absent. They said the only cooling available after Mayich fell was one small cooler with a few Powerade towels, squirt bottles that produced a stream rather than a spray, and later a garden hose with warm water. They claimed Mayich lay in the sun for several minutes after collapsing. Ziesel, through his attorney, disputed the characterization of the workout as military-style, calling it "easy by a high school varsity football or basketball team" standard and noting his background as a Navy veteran and 28-year varsity coach.
Tim Casey, the attorney representing the seven anonymous players, told CBS News that the university appeared to be "circling the wagons" rather than conducting a thorough and transparent investigation. The players, he said, do not feel safe coming forward publicly because there is no protection against retaliation. In their letter, the students requested that staff responsible for the workout be placed on leave pending the results of an independent investigation.
Meanwhile, the Maricopa County Attorney's office announced that the ASU Police Department is investigating the incident. Once that investigation concludes, the county attorney's office said it would review the matter at the highest level. The case now sits at the intersection of a university review, a police investigation, and mounting questions from players about whether the process will be fair or whether institutional interests will prevail.
Citações Notáveis
Putting Powers on leave while his best friend of the last decade stays in charge of the locker room doesn't solve the problem.— Matthew Mayich's parents, John and Christina
The university is circling the wagons. They are not pursuing a fulsome, faithful, or transparent investigation.— Tim Casey, attorney for the seven anonymous players
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Leia o original em CBS News ↗