Fear is reverberating through the Arizona State hockey program after sophomore defenseman Matthew Mayich suffered a heat stroke during a controversial workout and was subsequently hospitalized.
“These kids are scared,” the Mayich family attorney, Rob Carey, exclusively told Us on Thursday, September 3, of how the health scare has impacted the remaining team members. “The ones that are still there, they’re scared. They think they might lose their scholarships. They think the program might crumble. They might not get playing time if they cross the coach.”
A police investigation has been launched into the August 20 incident involving Mayich, 21, who collapsed during an intense, military-style outdoor workout. Carey told Us “no good outcome is coming” after previously stating that Mayich has “zero chance of recovery.”
The Arizona State police department is investigating the incident and, as part of their case, has begun questioning members of the Sun Devils hockey team, according to The Athletic.
“As the investigator, you have to separate the witnesses from the people being investigated,” Carey said. “When you have people in a hierarchical system like this, you need to put people on leave and do the investigation so that people have a safe space in which they can be honest. That’s all we ask. We just want them to be transparent and tell everybody what’s going on.”
He added, “I already know what’s going on. I’ve talked to enough people where I know what happened on the field that day. When I get my facts out, it’s going to be…it’s horrific. They didn’t plan it right, they didn’t execute it right and they weren’t prepared for the likely scenario of heat stroke. They were utterly unprepared for it.”
When asked directly if the coaches — who were on-site for the workout — should be banned from being around the team, Carey was emphatic.
“For purposes of the investigation, yes,” he insisted. “I am suggesting that. The family wants a full and complete investigation. To me, as a lawyer and former prosecutor, that requires you separate witnesses from their supervisors.”
In a statement to Us on Thursday, a spokesperson for Arizona State said, “The morning outdoor workout was a team event at which coaches and training staff were present along with a third party who had previously worked with the ASU Hockey team.”
“Sun Devil Athletics also has heat-illness guidelines in place; these guidelines are informed by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association,” the statement added. “SDA student-athletes regularly practice and train outside, under coach and trainer supervision.”
Mayich transferred to Arizona State this offseason after playing his freshman year at Clarkson University and had only been on campus in Tempe for five days when he collapsed. He was selected in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Draft by the St. Louis Blues.
