Arizona State has identified the hockey player who collapsed and later died from heat illness during a practice, and the school has launched a review into the incident.
The school said Matthew Mayich is the player who remains hospitalized after collapsing during an Aug. 20 outdoor workout.
“Matthew – your ASU teammates and the entire Sun Devil community are keeping you and your family in our thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time,” a social media post read.
An ASU spokesperson had previously said the university was not going to identify the student-athlete involved in the incident due to privacy interests.
The police department at ASU has launched an investigation into the matter to determine whether any criminal acts occurred when he collapsed during an outdoor military-style workout.
That investigation is separate from the “review” that Arizona State has said they are conducting.
Robert Carey, a lawyer representing Mayich's family, who previously said Mayich will not fully recover from his injuries, is now pushing for the ASU to allow an independent review of the case. Mayich had previously said Mayich's “body ceased functioning in a fundamental way, and this condition is irreversible.”
“We are reviewing it; this is not an investigation,” ASU athletic director Graham Rossini told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo on Aug. 28. “So, we’re collecting information. And if there’s things that we need to identify and learn from we’re going to do that, but this is not an investigation where somebody’s suggesting something went wrong. We’re just reviewing the facts and understanding the scenario.”
Carey insists that an independent investigation into the matter is a necessity.
“But there are standards for doing this properly,” Carey added in a statement. “Collect and preserve evidence, including what might have been deleted; use subpoenas and warrants; get unfettered access to university systems; interview witnesses separately and protect them from retaliation; and be transparent about the process and the findings...So long as those standards are followed and the lead investigator can act independently, we support it.”
Mayich collapsed during a team workout led by former green beret Tim Ziesel. The workout, which reportedly lasted for roughly an hour, included sprints, planks, push-ups and bear crawls. Players who lagged behind the group were allegedly forced to repeat exercises or do additional sprints.
Carey claims that Mayich struggled and showed signs of distress well before he collapsed.
“This injury is from exertional heat stroke that caused a lack of oxygen to the brain,” Carey explained to US. “There were no other contributing conditions, only exertion-related heat. This is not an induced coma. We need a miracle."
