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Arizona State places hockey coach Greg Powers on leave amid Mayich probe

Dustin Judge
Arizona State hockey Greg Powers

Arizona State placed hockey coach Greg Powers on administrative leave Wednesday as the university investigates the Aug. 20 collapse of defenseman Matthew Mayich during an outdoor workout. Powers will not lead the team for its season opener at Lindenwood on Friday, according to Newsday.

The main development

Mayich, 21, collapsed during a team workout on Aug. 20, the first day the NCAA allows official activities. Family attorney Rob Carey said the defenseman suffered external heat stroke that reduced oxygen flow to his brain, and that he is unlikely to recover, Newsday reported.

Assistant coach Mike Corbett will lead the Sun Devils against Lindenwood, and Arizona State said an interim coach will be named soon. Athletic director Graham Rossini said in a statement that the school had “continued to collect as much information as possible” before making the move.

“Our focus continues to be on Matthew and his family, and on our student-athletes to make sure they have the support they need during this time and as the season begins,” Rossini said, according to Newsday. “After thorough and careful deliberation, I believe this is the best move to provide stability for the hockey program.”

The National Collegiate Hockey Conference backed the decision. “The NCHC supports Arizona State University’s decision to place head coach Greg Powers on leave while the circumstances surrounding Matthew Mayich’s trauma are examined,” the conference said in a statement carried by Newsday. “Our thoughts remain with Matthew, his family and teammates.”

What led to the leave

The workout that preceded Mayich’s collapse was led by Tim Ziesel, 39, a former Green Beret reportedly brought in to help the Sun Devils reclaim what Powers called a “soft” identity after the team lost 10 of its last 12 games last season, according to USA Today.

A campus police investigation into the workout opened after Mayich’s collapse and remains ongoing. Arizona State also conducted a separate independent review that did not assign blame in initial findings released last week, USA Today reported.

Players disputed that review’s account and pushed back on several details, including how many water breaks the team received and how medical staff responded once Mayich went down. A group of seven players submitted a detailed letter to Arizona State President Michael Crow demanding Powers’ removal, and the team skipped practice Sept. 29, according to USA Today. Mayich’s parents, John and Christina Mayich, issued a statement Tuesday backing the players’ push to place the coaching staff on leave.

What remains unknown

Neither the campus police investigation nor the independent review has reached final conclusions, and no findings released so far have assigned blame to Powers, Ziesel or Arizona State staff. It is not yet known when either investigation will conclude or who will be named interim coach.

What’s next

Arizona State faces Lindenwood on Friday, Oct. 2, with Corbett as interim head coach.

Reporting from Newsday and USA Today contributed to this story.

Dustin Judge is the Founder and CEO of Total Apex Media, bringing more than 20 years of writing and editorial experience to the company's growing network of digital publications. He specializes in sports, sports betting, fantasy sports, and digital publishing, with a focus on producing accurate, timely, and engaging content for readers. Dustin oversees editorial strategy, content development, and publishing operations across Total Apex Media while remaining actively involved in sports, betting, and fantasy sports coverage.