Arizona State defenseman Matthew Mayich remained hospitalized Wednesday after collapsing during an outdoor workout last Thursday, Aug. 20, on the track behind Mullett Arena.
We’re learning more about the workout during which Mayich suffered the medical emergency.
Mayich and the rest of the Sun Devils were participating in what multiple sources who were present last Thursday morning described as a “military-style workout.” The workout was part of a program intended to build camaraderie and foster leadership among members of the team.
According to those sources, the workout was being directed by a third party, not Arizona State coaches or staff members.
College Hockey Insider asked Arizona State on Wednesday to confirm whether a third party ran the workout and whether it was military-style. A university spokesperson declined to address those questions directly, and instead provided the same statement that was shared with media outlets Tuesday.
“A student-athlete who collapsed during an outdoor exercise Thursday morning remains hospitalized,” the statement read. “The student-athlete, a member of the ASU hockey team, is not being named by the university because of privacy interests. The university is reviewing the circumstances surrounding the workout.”
The St. Louis Blues, who drafted Mayich in 2023, also released a statement Wednesday:
The circumstances have drawn comparisons to a 2024 incident involving the Tufts men's lacrosse team, although there is no indication that Mayich suffered the same medical condition or that the workouts were conducted in the same manner.
In September 2024, the Tufts team participated in a military-style workout and nine players were hospitalized with rhabdomyolysis, a condition in which severely damaged muscle tissue breaks down and releases proteins into the bloodstream. All nine players were eventually discharged from the hospital.
Programs offering these types of training exercises are fairly common in college athletics. Dozens of companies across the country market team-building programs to athletic teams and businesses, promoting them as a way to develop leadership and build more cohesive teams.
There was no update on Mayich’s condition on Wednesday.
Deacon Kevin Barron of the Catholic Community of Buffalo North has been leading prayer services for Mayich after he was contacted Mayich’s cousin. In an interview with The Arizona Republic on Tuesday, he said that Mayich suffered a “cardiac event” and was in a coma.
Mayich was a sophomore transfer on the ASU roster this season. He spent his freshman season at Clarkson after playing in the OHL for the Ottawa 67’s during his junior hockey career.
"Even though we are going through this heartbreak, it is truly such a blessing to see everyone praying and just the impact Matthew has had on so many people," Mayich's cousin, Victoria Beara, said during the prayer service, according to The Arizona Republic. "It's in God's hand. Please don't stop praying and don't give up."
Ed. Note — On a personal note, I want to continue to send thoughts to Mayich, his family, and everyone affiliated with the ASU and Clarkson programs during this difficult time.