ASU releases report on hockey player’s collapse during outdoor workout

Arizona State University published a review of the August 20 outdoor workout that preceded the collapse of 21-year-old hockey player Matthew Mayich. Mayich, who arrived from Canada on Aug. 12, was participating in the first day of a three-day team-building event at Sun Angel Stadium when he fell while running and later became unresponsive. He was taken to a hospital where he remains in serious condition, and his family’s attorney says full recovery is unlikely.

The university’s report says the session, held between 7:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., involved calisthenics, body-weight exercises and running in temperatures of 86-89°F with humidity around 50%. Coaches instructed players to hydrate, rest, and wear light clothing. A trainer provided water, iced towels and scheduled water breaks roughly 20 minutes into the workout and again near the end. Mayich was among the last groups to finish a wind-down exercise when he began to struggle, fell, and was unable to recover despite cooling measures.

The review notes that former Green Beret Timothy Ziesel, who had spoken to the team about leadership, was present, though he had no formal contract with the university. Ziesel’s attorney described the workout as “a low-level, high school football workout.”

James Rund, senior vice president of educational outreach and student services, led the review and recommended that President Michael Crow form a blue-ribbon advisory panel to examine Sun Devil practices, outdoor activities and the use of external consultants. The university said it follows heat-related guidelines developed with the Mayo Clinic and is reviewing its response protocols. ASU Police are conducting a separate investigation, with findings to be forwarded to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.

Leonard Aragon, attorney for Mayich’s family, criticized the university’s handling, alleging that the workout violated internal safety policies and that emergency procedures were not promptly followed. He called for a county-level investigation.

The university’s report and the ongoing investigations aim to determine whether procedural changes are needed to prevent similar incidents in the future.