ASU Appoints Former Chief Justice for Independent Review After Players Dispute Workout Account

Arizona State University has retained former Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Scott Bales to lead an independent review into the collapse of hockey player Matthew Mayich during a team workout. The appointment marks a shift toward external oversight following a formal challenge by Mayich’s teammates regarding the university’s initial internal account of the event.

Mayich, a 21-year-old defenseman and St. Louis Blues prospect, collapsed on August 20 during an outdoor training session at Sun Angel Stadium. According to his family’s attorney, Leonard Aragon, Matthew Mayich suffered an exertional heat stroke that caused a severe brain injury. The attorney has stated that the player is unlikely to recover.

Former Chief Justice will lead the external investigation into the program's safety protocols.

Discrepancies and Player Testimony

The decision to involve Justice Bales follows the submission of an anonymous letter by seven members of the ASU hockey team. The players disputed the university’s internal summary of the workout, which reportedly characterized the session as a 45-minute exercise with breaks. In contrast, the players’ account alleged the workout lasted more than 75 minutes in high temperatures with almost no access to water.

The “military-style” workout was reportedly led by Tim Ziesel, an Army special forces veteran acting as an outside consultant. Analysis of the event suggests a potential procedural breakdown; reports indicate that coaches may have bypassed university athletic trainers by failing to submit a required training plan for the August 20 session.

Impact on Coaching Staff

As the investigation proceeds, the hockey program has seen significant administrative changes. ASU head coach Greg Powers was placed on paid administrative leave on September 30. Assistant coach Mike Corbett assumed leadership of the team for their season-opening series at the start of October while the probe continues.

Justice Bales has been requested to complete his review by early December. While the university has framed the appointment as a way to ensure a thorough and independent look at safety protocols, legal representatives for the Mayich family have expressed concerns regarding the scope of the review. Aragon has publicly called for a more aggressive “root-cause” investigation into the coaching conduct and the lack of trainer oversight rather than a narrow analysis of existing university policies.

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