Seven members of the Arizona State University men’s hockey team submitted an anonymous letter to ASU President Michael Crow on Monday disputing the university’s official account of an August 20 workout that left teammate Matthew Mayich in a coma, calling instead for an independent investigation and immediate coaching suspension.
Fantasy & Market Impact
- Administrative Scrutiny: Copies of the players’ letter sent to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes elevate internal athletic governance issues to external legal and regulatory oversight.
Contradicting the Initial University Report
The anonymous letter, delivered by Phoenix attorney Tim Casey, directly challenges several core findings issued in a September 21 initial report by Senior Vice President James Rund. While the university’s review described a workout lasting approximately 45 minutes, the seven players attest that the session exceeded 75 minutes under grueling conditions.
According to the players’ signed attestations, Matthew Mayich never received water during the session. The letter states that a single water break was offered, but it lasted only seconds and reached solely the first eight players to complete a bear crawl drill. Mayich was still executing the crawl when the brief intermission concluded. Furthermore, the players allege that consultant Tim Ziesel utilized extra exercise as punishment and that Mayich displayed obvious signs of medical distress well before his final collapse.
The players report that Mayich crawled on his hands and knees, looked visibly disoriented, and had to lean on a teammate simply to remain upright. Countering statements in the Rund report that staff and players instructed Mayich to remain on the ground, the letter asserts that an athletic trainer sat Mayich upright twice after he fell—a position medical protocols warn can compromise blood flow to the brain.
Inadequate Facilities and Immediate Aftermath
The player accounts highlight a severe lack of emergency medical infrastructure on the field during the August 20 workout. The letter states there was no cold-water immersion tub, no ice, no fan, and no stretcher present. The sole cooling methods available consisted of a small cooler holding Powerade sideline towels, water bottles, and less than a minute of warm water supplied by a garden hose. Mayich reportedly remained exposed to direct sunlight for several minutes before being moved to a shaded area.
Following the departure of the ambulance, Greg Powers allegedly addressed the team by minimizing the severity of the medical emergency. The letter states Powers told the players that Mayich’s condition was “just a little heat stroke,” claimed he had “seen this a million times,” and asserted that Mayich “just needs an IV.” Additionally, the letter states Powers told the team they were working closer to making the Frozen Four because of the workout and Mayich having pushed himself to the maximum.
Legal Representation and Calls for Accountability
Attorney Tim Casey emphasized the precautions taken to verify the integrity of the players’ claims before submitting the letter to university leadership and state authorities. “I vetted with them and had them each sign an attestation, they read everything, the facts of what they observed, and they attested that it’s accurate. It’s not made up by a lawyer. It’s real facts,” Casey stated.
Robert Carey, an attorney representing the Mayich family, noted that the players’ disclosures exposed an environment far more alarming than initially understood. “Much of what the players describe is new to us, and it is far worse than we understood. The disregard for his safety did not come from one bad decision. It lasted from the handshake that brought Mr. Ziesel onto the field until the ambulance arrived,” Carey said.
Carey leveled direct criticism at the handling of the review process by university leadership. “Coach Powers and Mr. Ziesel described a short session with water available and nothing out of the ordinary — easy in fact. That account was false, and the Rund report adopted it rather than refuted it. A university that accepts falsehoods about conduct that put a young man on life support has chosen to protect itself over its students. That is inexcusable,” Carey said.
| Metric / Event Detail | Initial University Report (Sept. 21) | Players’ Anonymous Letter |
|---|---|---|
| Workout Duration | Approximately 45 minutes | More than 75 minutes |
| Water Availability | Water available during session | One brief break; Mayich received none |
| Post-Collapse Medical Action | Trainer and players told Mayich to stay down | Trainer sat Mayich upright twice |
| Cooling Equipment | Standard protocols noted | No ice, immersion tub, fan, or stretcher |
Next Steps for the Program
With the hockey season scheduled to open on Friday, October 2, the anonymous letter’s signatories are demanding immediate intervention from ASU President Michael Crow. The players are asking for an independent investigation, the suspension of the coaching staff, and the appointment of an interim coach to stabilize the program amidst mounting external legal oversight.
