Mayich collapsed during an outdoor military-style workout on Aug. 20 in Arizona
Credit: Scott Rovak/NHLI via Getty; Zac BonDurant/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Arizona State hockey head coach Greg Powers declined to answer questions about his player Matthew Mayich, who was left on life support after a workout
- “Not able to answer questions regarding it in any way,” Powers told The Athletic’s Katie Strang
- When pressed, Powers said he couldn’t expand on his answers at this time
Arizona State head coach Greg Powers refused to answer questions about his player Matthew Mayich, who was left on life support after an outdoor workout on Aug. 20.
Powers spoke to The Athletic’s reporter Katie Strang — who pressed him on the situation — in an interview published on Wednesday, Sept. 23.
Strang asked Powers, “Can you explain why you think it’s more important to answer questions about hockey rather than address the circumstances that left one of your players on life support?”
The head coach told her, “Again, just, not able to answer questions regarding it in any way.”
Credit: Scott Rovak/NHLI via Getty
A representative for Arizona State attempted to shut down Strang’s follow-up question, but she noted that players who previously played under Powers have said the “guiding principle” of his leadership has been accountability. “How have you modeled accountability for your team over the past month?,” Strang asked.
Powers said, “In a lot of ways,” but when Strang asked him to expand on the answer, he declined, saying, “No, not today.”
Mayich’s teammate Ben Muthersbaugh told reporters during a press conference, captured by CBS 5, “It’s been a tough time around here. You can’t plan for the unexpected so it’s been tough for a lot of guys that are 18-24 years old to go through something like this, and especially with someone who was going to be one of our brothers and one of our best friends.”
“But, you know, we still have a season to play for and we’re playing for him,” Muthersbaugh continued. “Coming together and being together at the rink has been kind of a good escape route for a lot of guys, and we’ve just got to keep coming to the rink every day with him on our mind.”
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Mayich collapsed at the end of an outdoor workout in high temperatures at the university on Aug. 20. Rob Carey, the attorney representing his family, told ESPN the sophomore athlete suffered “exertional heat stroke that caused a lack of oxygen to the brain” and has “zero chance” of recovery.”
Sources with knowledge of the workout told The Athletic that Mayich collapsed after stumbling and dropping a medicine ball. He reportedly attempted to get up twice before collapsing a final time.
One player and an assistant coach reportedly shouted for assistance before teammates “found him lying on the ground, incoherent and distressed, unable to respond to questions,” sources told the outlet.
Credit: Chris Tanouye/Getty
Mayich reportedly remained in the sun for several minutes after he collapsed until four of his Sun Devils teammates carried him into the shade, and an athletic trainer retrieved water and an ice pack to put on his chest, according to The Athletic.
An ambulance arrived at the stadium at 8:31 a.m., around an hour and a half after the workout began, the outlet said.
On Sept. 17, the athlete’s parents, John and Christina, told Sportsnet their son was “100 percent ready to go this season,” prior to the workout, and added, “Considering the situation, I think we’re somewhat strong in just trying to push through. We’ve got no choice.”
John said his son is “a fighter” and that the family is “giving him every chance to survive.”
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