ASU head hockey coach placed on leave after player’s collapse during practice
By Ford Hatchett
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TEMPE, Arizona (KNXV) — Arizona State University’s head hockey coach Greg Powers has been placed on leave amid an investigation into the collapse of an athlete during an outdoor practice this summer.
Matthew Mayich, a 21-year-old St. Louis Blues NHL draft pick from Ontario, collapsed during an off-ice workout at Sun Angel Stadium on Aug. 20, 2026. He has been in a coma for 41 days.
The National Collegiate Hockey Conference released a statement Wednesday, saying Head Coach Greg Powers would be placed on leave following the incident.
“The concerns raised by student-athletes deserve to be heard and thoroughly reviewed. We will not prejudge the findings of that review. Hockey matters deeply to our conference, but the well-being of our student-athletes matters more,” the NCHC said in a statement.
Mayich family attorney Rob Carey told ABC15 more action should be taken.
“On day one, we asked ASU to put the coaching staff on leave. That’s a basic, routine step. Putting Powers on leave while his best friend of the last decade stays in charge of the locker room doesn’t solve the problem. If ASU won’t remove him, even just to err on the side of player safety, then the interim head coach it has promised should have the authority to remove anyone who poses a risk of retaliation against these players,” Carey wrote.
Powers sent this statement to ABC15:
“Matthew and his family remain foremost in my thoughts and prayers. What happened to Matthew has deeply affected everyone in our program, and I continue to hope for strength and healing for him and his family. I support the University’s decision to place me on administrative leave while the circumstances surrounding the August 20 workout are reviewed. I believe this will allow the review to proceed thoroughly, independently and without distraction. I intend to cooperate fully and want a process that Matthew, our players, their families and the broader ASU community can have confidence in. I respect our players’ right to speak openly and honestly about their experiences, and I want every player to feel completely free to participate candidly in the review. I care deeply about these young men and their well-being, and I will respect whatever they choose to share through that process. I always have and always will care deeply about this team, this program and the people in it. For now, the players deserve the opportunity to focus on one another, on Matthew and on the season ahead. I will support them from a distance while the facts are carefully examined and the process moves forward.”
Lawmakers are also weighing in.
Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) writing “What happened to Matthew Mayich is devastating. I’ve been thinking about him and his family. They deserve answers, as do his teammates who came forward with their concerns despite the risk to their careers. For that to happen there must be a full, independent investigation so that no athlete faces this again.”
Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) also releasing a statement reading “The circumstances surrounding what happened to Matthew Mayich are deeply disturbing. There are many questions about why young athletes like Matthew were pushed through an intense workout in the Arizona heat, with players now alleging that Matthew was not given an opportunity to drink water before he collapsed and suffered a catastrophic brain injury. If those allegations are true, that is unacceptable. An independent investigation must determine what happened and whether basic safety protocols were ignored. Matthew Mayich and his family deserve answers, and I’m with them in my thoughts and support during this difficult time.”
Powers is the only head coach ASU has had since promoting to NCAA Division I in 2015-2016. Assistant coach Mike Corbett will lead the team in their season opening games at Lindenwood University this weekend. ASU says an interim coach will be named soon.
As we reported on Tuesday, the parents of Mayich released a statement calling for the removal of the coaching staff, including Head Coach Greg Powers, that ran the Aug. 20 workout that left their son in a coma, saying an independent investigation must be allowed to proceed without players fearing retaliation.
Seven anonymous players sent a letter to ASU President Michael Crow disputing the university’s official account of the workout and making similar demands. According to a letter to President Crow on Sept. 28, players allege the workout lasted more than 75 minutes, that Mayich never received water, that exercise was used as punishment, and that required safety equipment, including a cold-water immersion tub, was not on the field. The players asked Crow to place the coaching staff on administrative leave and appoint an interim coach pending an independent investigation.
ASU’s hockey season is set to open Friday at Lindenwood University.
“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. Our thoughts remain with Matthew, his family, and his teammates.
“The concerns raised by student-athletes deserve to be heard and thoroughly reviewed. We will not prejudge the findings of that review. Hockey matters deeply to our conference, but the well-being of our student-athletes matters more.
“The NCHC will remain in contact with ASU regarding its review and the steps being taken to support and protect its student-athletes.”
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