ASU identifies Matthew Mayich as hospitalized hockey player for 1st time

Sun Devil Hockey identified Matthew Mayich as the Arizona State University hockey player who remains hospitalized after collapsing during an Aug. 20 outdoor workout for the first time on Saturday.

“Matthew – your ASU teammates and the entire Sun Devil community are keeping you and your family in our thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time,” a social media post read.

An ASU spokesperson previously said the university was not going to identify the student-athlete involved in the incident due to privacy interests.

Robert Carey, an attorney for Mayich’s family, said Wednesday the hockey player has no chance for recovery, stating “his body ceased functioning in a fundamental way, and this condition is irreversible.”

Leonard Aragon, another attorney representing Mayich’s family, told KTAR News on Tuesday that Mayich flew in from Ottawa, Canada, less than a week before his first practice in Arizona’s heat, which he claims was led by a former Green beret who pushed the athletes to their limit and beyond with a military-style workout. He also alleged that the student-athletes would be punished for stopping or drinking water.

ASU’s Athletic Department guidelines state student-athletes are supposed to be gradually acclimatized to the heat over seven to 14 days, according to a report from The Arizona Republic.

The university previously indicated that it has institutional guidelines and requirements for outside entities who interact with its student-athletes and sport programs. It also said that Sun Devil Athletics has heat-illness guidelines in place that are based on the National Athletic Trainers’ Association.

“SDA student-athletes regularly practice and train outside, under coach and trainer supervision,” the ASU spokesperson said.

ASU conducting review following Matthew Mayich’s hospitalization

“We are reviewing it; this is not an investigation,” ASU athletic director Graham Rossini told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo on Aug. 28. “So, we’re collecting information. And if there’s things that we need to identify and learn from we’re going to do that, but this is not an investigation where somebody’s suggesting something went wrong. We’re just reviewing the facts and understanding the scenario.”

Senior Vice President James Rund is conducting the review of the workout as well as the related university policies, procedures and protocols, according to ASU.

However, Aragon and Mayich’s family want ASU to authorize an independent investigation into the incident to ensure they get answers on why this happened.

Aragon said a lawsuit may be filed in the future, but for now he and Carey are conducting interviews and collecting the facts of the case.

Mayich was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL draft. He transferred to Arizona State this past offseason after spending his freshman season collegiately playing at Clarkson University in New York.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Kevin Stone and Kellen Shover contributed to this report.

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