Earlier this month, I wrote about the August 20 workout that left Arizona State University hockey player Matthew Mayich hospitalized with severe neurological injuries. At the time, many details about the workout remained unclear. Since then, ASU has released its initial findings, and several of Mayich’s teammates are now challenging parts of the University’s account.
On September 28, seven ASU hockey players sent a 26-page letter to University President Michael Crow asking that head coach Greg Powers and his staff be placed on administrative leave while the investigation continues. The players submitted the letter anonymously through an attorney because they say they fear retaliation from the coaching staff.[1]
Their decision to come forward adds another perspective to the investigation and raises questions not only about what happened on August 20, but also about whether student-athletes can comfortably participate in an investigation involving their own coaches.
Players Dispute ASU’s Initial Findings
ASU released its initial review of the workout on September 21. According to the University, the hockey coaching staff received approval for former Green Beret Timothy Ziesel to speak to the team, but did not submit a plan for the physical training activities to ASU’s strength and conditioning staff for review.[2]
The report states that Mayich began struggling near the end of the workout before falling to the ground. An athletic trainer assessed him, applied iced towels and cool water, and eventually called 911 when his condition deteriorated.[3]
The seven players reportedly dispute portions of that account. According to The Athletic, they contend that Mayich did not receive water during the workout and that the medical response following his collapse was inadequate.[4] These allegations have not been independently established, and ASU’s investigation remains ongoing.
The competing accounts could become significant if litigation follows. As discussed in my original post (https://ublawsportsforum.com/2026/09/14/the-matthew-mayich-incident-and-the-legal-duty-to-protect-college-athletes/), questions about Mayich’s access to water, the signs of heat illness he displayed, and the response after he began struggling could factor into whether ASU exercised reasonable care. His teammates may now be some of the most important witnesses in answering those questions.
Can Players Speak Freely While Coaches Remain in Charge?
The players’ letter also raises a separate issue: whether student-athletes can comfortably participate in an investigation involving coaches who still control important aspects of their athletic careers.
The players reportedly expressed concern that Powers and his assistants remain in positions where they control playing time, scholarship levels, and roster status. They argue that this creates a fear of retaliation for players who provide information that could reflect negatively on the coaching staff.[5]
ASU’s initial report states that retaliation against anyone providing information during the investigation will not be tolerated and encourages student-athletes to participate.[6] But a formal prohibition on retaliation may not completely eliminate the power imbalance between athletes and coaches.
That makes the players’ request for administrative leave particularly significant. Placing coaches on leave during an investigation would not establish wrongdoing. The players instead appear to be arguing that temporarily removing the coaching staff from positions of authority would allow witnesses to participate more freely while the facts are investigated.
What Comes Next?
The latest developments reinforce several of the legal questions raised after Mayich’s collapse. ASU’s own review confirmed that the physical training plan was not submitted to strength and conditioning staff before the workout.[7] If litigation follows, that fact, along with the accounts of athletes who witnessed the workout, could become important in determining whether university procedures were followed and whether ASU acted reasonably.
ASU Police is conducting a separate investigation, and the University has stated that the police report will eventually be provided to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for independent review.[8]
The players’ letter does not resolve what happened on August 20, and their allegations should not be treated as established findings. It does, however, add another layer to a situation already raising serious questions about athlete safety.
The issue is no longer only whether ASU did enough to protect Mayich during the workout. It is also whether athletes who witnessed what happened can speak openly when the coaches they may be asked to discuss still control their athletic careers.
Sources
[1] The Athletic, Arizona State men’s hockey players ask school to place coach Greg Powers on leave, Sept. 28, 2026.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7641141/2026/09/28/arizona-state-hockey-players-greg-powers/
[2] Arizona State University, Initial Report on the Review of August 20 Events Related to ASU Hockey Player Matthew Mayich, Sept. 21, 2026.
https://newsroom.asu.edu/statements/hockey
[3] Id.
[4] The Athletic, Arizona State men’s hockey players ask school to place coach Greg Powers on leave, Sept. 28, 2026.
[5] Id.
[6] Arizona State University, Initial Report on the Review of August 20 Events Related to ASU Hockey Player Matthew Mayich, Sept. 21, 2026.
[7] Id.
[8] Id.
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