ASU’s review of workout causing Mayich’s collapse assigns no blame in initial findings

Arizona State University has conducted their review of the workout causing the collapse of defenseman Matthew Mayich, ultimately coming to the conclusion that no responsibility will be assigned, according to a report from Katie Strang of The Athletic.

The review only promised to create a “blue-ribbon advisory panel”, which will give “recommendations” for outdoor athletic activities held in the future, as well as the use of non-university consultants for these types of athletic activities.

Mayich, a sixth-round pick for the St. Louis Blues in the 2023 NHL Draft, collapsed during a “military-style workout” held at the start of the semester by ex-Green Beret Tim Ziesel.

According to the review, ASU coach Greg Powers was introduced to Ziesel by a supporter of the team in January, which led to Ziesel talking to the team last season, and leading the workout in August. However, while the ASU men’s hockey team’s coaching staff sought permission from the school for Ziesel to address the players, they did not submit his training activities to the school’s strength and conditioning coaches for review. Ziesel also didn’t have a contract with the school for the three-day “team-building” exercise.

The workout consisted of planks, pushups, sprints and bear crawls over around 45 minutes in temperatures in the 80s, with players who lagged behind in the workout being forced to perform extra exercise. Players were told to hydrate and eat well prior to the workout, but were only given a water break 20 minutes into the workout, which reportedly didn’t include the people behind in the exercise.

According to The Athletic, people either present or briefed on what happened at the workout reported that Mayich appeared disoriented at points during the workout. He stumbled and fell while attempting the final portion of the workout, which was a relay-race sprint with a medicine ball. Trainers attempted to cool Mayich off by squirting him with water and placing cold towels on his chest, and he was carried into the shade, but was ultimately sent to the hospital, where he has since fallen into a coma and remains on life support.

Ziesel had left Sun Angel Stadium, where the workout was held, before Mayich’s collapse.

According to The Athletic, Powers had felt the need to recruit Ziesel and hold a workout of this nature because he felt his team wasn’t tough enough, even calling them “soft” in an interview and, according to players, going so far as to call them “pussies” and place images in the locker room for the purpose of insulting their play.