Arizona State University hockey player Matthew Mayich has almost no real chance of recovering after falling into a coma following an outdoor workout in Phoenix, according to his family lawyer.
Attorney Robert Carey said that Mayich is incapacitated following the incident on August 20, when the player collapsed while running outdoors on the school track in near-90-degree heat. Carey initially told The Arizona Republic that Mayich had "zero chance of recovery," before clarifying to College Hockey News reporter Adam Wodon that the player "is incapacitated and has almost no real chance of recovering from that situation."
Carey added that Mayich "was disoriented and struggled well before he collapsed" during the training session. The player was rushed to a local hospital following his collapse and now resides at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, a specialized medical center known for treatment of neurological conditions and brain injuries.
Legal Investigation and Workout Conditions
Carey is conducting his own investigation into the events surrounding the collapse and is pushing back on the narrative presented by Arizona State. The school has claimed that the workout session was "minimal, how soft and how easy," but Carey stated that his investigation shows that storyline is "completely false."
The lawyer said he interviewed multiple players who described the session as "grueling" and "unbearably hard." Carey noted that the workout leader, former Green Beret Tim Ziesel, "yelled at them from the get-go... like a drill instructor." United States Army Green Berets are members of elite Special Forces units trained for specialized operations and physical conditioning.
Carey stated that "this case has shattered [Mayich's] life" and that "he deserves, and his family deserves, a proper investigation." According to the lawyer, players were allegedly told not to complain during the session, and water was only available to the individuals leading the exercises. He added that players feared retaliation, including the potential loss of their scholarships or roster positions, if they spoke out.
University Review and Defense Statements
In a separate interview with The Arizona Republic, Ziesel stated that he left the workout before Mayich collapsed. An attorney representing Ziesel defended the conditioning session, stating: "This was not a Green Beret or SEAL workout. Far from it. The head coach, assistant coaches and medical were always present."
Carey is requesting that Arizona State University coaches and staff members be suspended or placed on administrative leave so that school officials can speak with players and conduct a formal investigation. A spokesperson for Arizona State, a public research university whose Sun Devils athletic teams compete in NCAA Division I, told the Republic that school officials are "reviewing everything surrounding the workout."
Hockey Career and Background
Mayich, a Canadian hockey player, was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the sixth round of the 2023 National Hockey League Entry Draft. The St. Louis Blues are a professional franchise based in Missouri that competes in the Western Conference of the NHL.
Before transferring to Arizona State University to join the Sun Devils hockey program, Mayich played college hockey at Clarkson University, a private university in Potsdam, New York, that competes in NCAA Division I. During his time with the Clarkson Golden Knights, Mayich scored seven goals and recorded eight assists across 34 games.
Prior to his collegiate career, Mayich played major junior hockey in Canada with the Ottawa 67's in the Ontario Hockey League. The Ottawa-based team is one of the member franchises in the OHL, a premier development league for elite North American hockey players.
